Devil Jaw Joan
by Mask of Two Sides
Summary: In a world where Monsters are almost as human as you or me, a young Deviljho tries to find her place in life without eating it first.  All OC's are Monsters.  Hunters are on the side this time.
1. A Monster's Dream

**This should be something compeltely different from what you are used to in Monster Hunter. All the monsters in this story are anthropomorphic, meaning they are as human in appearance and personality as the hunters who hunt them, only much bigger (or smaller). But they all possess the same parts and armor as the monsters they represent. I think of the characters in clothing or armor acting as their skin and shells, but just doesn't get removed. This story comes from the view of one particular monster I've been working on for some time.**

**I hope you like this new idea. Also, this is only the Prologue, so there isn't much yet.**

In the Sandy Plains, an Altaroth sniffed about until she came across the scent of a firedouse berry. She clicks her mandibles with glee as she races towards it. But as she approached, someone got in between her and her prize. She looked up to see a Hunter. His amor shined in the sun, as did his bowgun.

The loud sound it gave off as he rapid-fired pierce shot caused her to screech and duck her head. But just as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone. She looked around, just to be safe. She didn't smell anything but the berry.

She quickly ran over to it and popped it in her mouth. She didn't chew it, but swallowed it whole, where it was deposited into her sack. She looked both ways before making a break for it down the open area.

The Alteroth was almost to her nest when it suddenly collapsed, revealing a Barroth. He had smashed it open with his reinfored head and was snacking on her sisters. She wanted to help, but she was smaller than his foot.

But as luck would have it, another hunter appeared, wielding a metal greatsword. The Hunter raised her weapon and severed part of the Barroth's wounded tail. The Altaroth would have cheered if she didn't have to get the berry back to what was left of the nest. Inside, she crawled through the long tunnels, passing by more of her sisters. Fortunately, there were many of her kind. A few lost workers would never end the hive.

Once she found her way to food storage, she coughed up the berry and put it in the pile. She then went back to the enterance to look for more food. But just as she was leaving, a foot comes down and puts her back in the hole. It was one of the Hunters!

She clicked her mandibles and jumped out to chase them. She stuck her abdomen up into the air and fired a sticky blob of acidic fluid. The Hunter yelped as she was hit from behind and lost part of her armor's defense. The Altaroth charged again, but had to stop when the Barrot charged, taking the Hunter out with one blow of his crowned head.

While a group of Felynx snatched her away on their wagon, there was a horrible sound. The Altaroth looked around, but her eye sight wasn't the best at long distance. But she smelled something foul in the air. It smelled like the death of a thousand Monsters and Hunters.

She watches as the Barroth is picked up off his feet by a larger Monster and tossed to the side. He came crashing down with enough force that two more Altaroth popped out of the nest in surprise. One swish of the larger Monster's tail slapped away two Hunters, leaving the third to keep firing his bowgun. But there was little that he could do as she charged at him. His piercing shots could only stick in her tough skin and stay there.

Infuriated by the pain, the Monster reared her head and roared as her head and back turned a bright red. In her rage, her body seemed to grow, revealing the wounds of all her battles. These were wounds that would never properly heal, driving her into madness with the sheer pain that she suffered.

As she is about to devour the Hunter, the Barroth slams into her side. But she stood a good several feet over him and sank her teeth into the armor on the back of his neck. Her acidic saliva hissed as it began to break down his shell. The Barroth screamed and pulled away, leaving a chunk of shell in her mouth. She happily chews this morsel and swallows it quickly. But she wanted more, she always wanted more.

The Barroth knew that he wasn't going to win, so he started digging with his crown and dissapeared into the ground. The horrible Monster didn't care, there were Hunters for her to eat. But as round after round pelted her hide, she reared her head back and breathed a stream of black lightning. This was her power, the power of the Dragon Element. The Hunter wails as he is torched alive. He doesn't move, and the Felynx were too afraid to help. Then the Monster turns to see the Altaroth, frozen with fear.

After consuming the hunter, the Monster turned and looks down upon this tiny creature. It was barely even the mouthful that the Hunter was. But she opens her mouth anyways and comes down on the Altaroth, who is screaming in fear.

Then she opens her eyes as she was hit with enough electricity to take down a whole squad of Hunters. It was all a dream, oh good, it was just a dream. And why in the world was she dreaming that she was an Altaroth?

They were tasty, and crunchy, and sometimes full of tasty goo, but why would she dream of being one? And what was this thing in her mouth? She tried to chew it, but it moved about and was covered in a slimy film. It was tasty, but quite familiar.

"Bad dreams?"

She looked up and saw that she was chewing on the Khezu known as Sparks. She looked back down and saw that she had the flabby skin of his chest in her mouth. "Oh!" she let him go as she said that, allowing the skin to pull back into place. There were marks where her teeth had punctured his skin. A small amount of blood was seeping from the wounds, from which she couldn't keep her eyes off. She had to taste it, even for a second.

"Stop that."

She looked up, "Stop what?"

"You're licking again."

Her face almost exploded from the heat and her temperature skyrocketed. "Sorry! I'm so sorry!" She pulled away and rolled out of the nest they made together.

"This is what happens when you forget to eat before you go to nest. I tried to warn you." Even with his serious tone, he was trying his best not to smile. She couldn't see his face from the folds of extra skin over his head, which acted much like a hood, but she could see his mouth. She punched him and he laughed. "Just like old times."

"Stop! You're making me blush, and blushing makes me hungry!"

"Everything makes you hungry."

She wanted to reply, but she was short a witty responce. Such was the life of the Deviljho known as Joan. But to her friends, she was also known as Devil Jaw Joan.


	2. Not so little Little Gig

As Joan dusted herself off, Sparks got out of the nest to look for the Popo carcass they left last night. Because they lived in the Tundra, they didn't have to worry about the smell giving it's hiding place away. There were plenty of other monsters around who would gladly steal it.

"Hungery?" the Khezu asked.

"Always," Joan replied and he tossed her a rib. In the time it took for him to break off another, she had already picked it clean.

"Here," he tossed her another and she devoured it with surprising speed. When she realized that his eyes were on her, she blushed and started nibbling on the bone. She was still young for a Deviljho and her chin fangs didn't even show until it came time to replace a tooth. The smooth skin was only slightly lumpy, meaning she had teeth in there, they just didn't show.

Joan had been with Sparks ever since she was just a hatchling. He found her when she was an egg and kept her around for some extra protection from the locals. As a whelp, he didn't have any electricity to defend himself with. Now, years later, he was almost fully-grown now and looked much more mature than she did. Joan needed at least another ten years to put on the pounds she needed to grow. But it didn't help that she was the runt of her cluster. She was nine years old and yet she was only half the size and weight she was supposed to have already. In Hunter years, she would almost be in her late teens.

She was glad that she had Sparks, for his electricity scared off other Deviljhos who wander this part of the Tundra. She didn't even want to think what they had on their minds if it wasn't to eat. She just wished that the Khezu didn't put her hair on end every time he sneezed.

Joan still couldn't help but feel embarrassed about her situation. She was a young Deviljho who was best friends with a Khezu. She even nested with him from time-to-time for the comfort he gave her. But he only accepted those times as long as she didn't try to eat him. She just wished that she didn't try to do it anyways while she slept. It really didn't help that she found his skin so tasty. Her habit of sleeping with a leg to snack on didn't do him any favors either.

While he was gulping down a frozen Kelbi whole, she finished off the rib bone and grabbed herself a few more. As a Deviljho, her body was always always burning calories. She once got trapped under a piece of ice for a week. Her body heat ensured that she always had water, but she lost over three hundred pounds because of that incident. She was sick and unhealthy for nearly two months as she hunted for food. None of the other Monsters appreciated her terrorizing the local Popo population. A few of them even had to move out because she scared them off when she found them in her desperation for food.

"Joan, snap out of it!" Sparks suddenly cried.

"What! What is it?"

"You got my tail!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry!" she let him go and wondered what happened to the ribs. Then she realized that she had arleady eaten them, bones and all. "Sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"You're thinking too much again." Sparks wrapped his arms around her, his flabby wings were cold against her skin. "And stop apologizing so much, it's so unlike a Deviljho."

"I'm sor-" she caught herself and buried her face into his neck. She regreted doing that because he was still moist and she couldn't breath. "Thank you," she said with a smile.

"No problem. So, what should we do today?"

Her mood picked up almost immediately, "Eat?"

He chuckled, "I have to go out and collect a few Kelbi. My food stash is low. You'll be alright on your own, right?"

"I don't think there's anyone who here who would mess with a Deviljho, even a small one like me."

"I sure hope they do, cause then you'll have something to eat." He must have seen how her tail began to wag, for he added, "Just don't go looking for trouble."

"Ok, you have fun on your hunt."

He licked her cheek and leaped onto the ceiling. Even if he didn't look it, he had quite a bit of leg muscle under his hide. Joan did too, but she couldn't leap anywhere as high. And she never would have been able to stick to the ceiling anyways. Her species was never known for their upper arm strength. She was more likely to bring the ceiling down with her weight anyways.

As Joan left the cave, she came across a strange sight. There was a pile of snow with a blue tail sticking out. It appeared that someone had been waiting for her to come out. They probably didn't know that she liked to sleep with a leg bone handy, so she would stay the whole night. They were one of the few pieces that she couldn't readily chew apart.

"Um, are you alright?" she asked, but there was no responce. She tilted her head and thought it would be best to leave them for now. She knew it was a Great Baggi, but she was on a no-Baggi diet. Every time she ate one, she would always have to sleep it off, leaving her even hungrier than before.

She sniffed the cold air. A fresh layer of snow had fallen last night, so any tracks would be fresh. But she would have to be quick or else she wouldn't find anything today. Joan took off down the path, following her usual trails. They haven't failed her yet, they weren't going to now.

After an hour of searching, she came across something that smelled strange. She followed it into another cave, but the lack of light made it difficult to see anything. So she followed her nose until she walked into a wall.

"Ow!"

"Hey, who's there?" a voice called.

Joan rubbed her nose, "Sorry, just looking for something to eat."

"Plants or meat?"

"Meat."

"Small stuff, or do you need something bigger?"

"Bigger, I'm a growing Deviljho after all."

"Joan? Devil Jaw Joan?" the voice asked.

"You know me?"

"It is you! Let me get down first." A shadow fell from the ceiling and landed flat on the ground, her body stretching out. It was fortunately that she was a Gigginox or that would have hurt. But her kind and the Khezu were used to falling like that. It was part of how they hunt their prey if surprise failed.

The Gigginox brushed herself off, "I guess you don't remember me, do you? It's me, you found me when I was lost."

"Little Gig!" Joan cried in surprise. "It's been a long time." She had first met her as a little Giggi, hence her name, who had wandered off on her own and got lost. When she was found by the Khezu and Deviljho, she was barely any bigger than a Hunter's head. But at that time, Sparks was only as big as a Hunter's leg while Joan was the size of a full-grown one.

"I know, it has, hasn't it. How's my cousin?" She considered Sparks her 'cousin' because the two shared the same kind of flabby skin and prefered being inside caves.

"Sparks is just out hunting. I didn't know you lived so close by." Joan looked around for the Gigginox, but she couldn't see anything.

"Why, where do you live?"

"I live in the cave on the other side of the woods."

"No way, I always thought some jerk of a Gigginox lived there. He always got a little too close to me when I'm laying eggs."

"He's not there anymore, but he did give me a bit of indigestion."

"Ya, we're known for giving Monsters food poisoning. I'm surprised nobody has ever told you that."

"Hey, where are you?" Joan had been wandering about, but she couldn't tell where she was going. She walked right into a wall before she knew it was there. But her night vision sucked at the moment, leaving her barely able to walk around, much less know where she was going.

"Oh, sorry, I'm so used to seeing heat that I forget that other Monsters can't." She put a hand on Joan's shoulder and guided her outside.

Joan was shocked by what she saw, "Looks like I can't really call you 'Little' Gig anymore."

The Deviljho had always thought of her as the Giggi that she was. Little Gig was always so soft and squishy that she found it difficult not to hug her and squeeze her. But now, she was probably the most gorgeous member of her species that Joan had ever seen. Her body was so sleek because of the way her skin and tail held itself like a flowing dress.

Unlike a Khezu, who had a hood of skin over their eyes, Little Gig's bright violet eyes were out in the open for all to see. Her hair and much of her skin was white as the snow around her while a striking shade of red covered her front.

"Is it getting colder outside?" Little Gig asked as it was snowing.

The Deviljho was confused, "I don't feel anything."

"Of course you wouldn't, you were as bright as the sun in my eyes. I could barely see you from all the heat you were giving off. I wasn't sure where you were as much as you were having trouble finding me. It's a good thing I always know where the exit is in my cave."

Joan was about to reply when her stomach did so for her.

"Oh, looks like you're in need of something. All I got are some frozen Kelbi." Little Gig pointed a thumb claw at a nearby snowbank.

Joan shook her head, "I need something more than that. They barely make a snack."

Little Gig raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Boy, you really haven't changed much. There should be a herd of Popo around, either that or some Hunters. I had to chase off a group of them when they came after my eggs. Trust me, having to listen to three dozen kids all day will drive just about anyone crazy. But I love them all the same."

"Good thing I don't eat Giggies, but while Hunters are crunchy, they don't keep me satisfied long." Her stomach growled again.

"By the sounds of it, I should let you find yourself something to eat before you start looking at me funny."

"Alright, it's been nice seeing you though." She gave the Gigginox a big hug and giggled. "Even all grown up, you're still so squishy."

Little Gig gave her a hug back and giggled too, "And you're still much too warm. Be sure to give my cousin a hug from me too."

"Ok, I'll do that."

Joan waved to Little Gig as she walked back into her cave. The Deviljho didn't know what she could hunt because there weren't many Monsters around. This was the Tundra after all, it wasn't the best place for a wide selection of food. Even the Kelbi only came around during the warmer days, and that wasn't saying much about the change in temperature here. Sparks usually had to leave for one of the warmer areas to along the Tundra's edge to find his food. That was at least if there were no Hunters wandering into their cave.

In the distance, she thought she heard a loud roar. She didn't recognize it at all and was on the move as soon as she had a clue as to where it was coming from. She followed the path until she came across a clearing where two Monsters were fighting over the territory. She recognized one being a Barioth by his mix of white fur over his shoulders and bare shell along his lower back and tail. But it was his opponent who caught her attention.

Actually, it was the ball of ice he sent flying that caught her face.

She shook herself off and watched as the Barioth fought a Monster with a similar build. This newcomer could move on all fours like the Barioth, but his scales had no fur and were a color she didn't normally see in the Tundra. But what she noticed most about him was the size of his jaws compaired to the rest of him. When his mouth was closed, it was difficult to notice at first. But when he opened his mouth to roar, his jaw opened at a near ninety-degree angle.

This strange Monster lunged at the Barioth, sinking his teeth into the white Monster's wing. The Barioth roared in pain and slammed his palm into his attacker's face. But he didn't let go, the Barioth breathed a concentrated burst of ice that exploded and swirled around them both. The other Monster was covered in snow and ice by the attack, but quickly shook it off.

Then he did something unexpected, he twirled on the spot. The Barioth was taken off-guard by this move and was slapped across the face by the Monster's tail. This was followed by a charge that knocked the Barioth off his feet. The Monster lunged at his opponent's tail, sinking his teeth in deep.

Joan was shocked and grabbed her own tail when he removed the Barioth's with such ease. While the two fought, she snuck out from her cover and went for the tail.

"Nom!" she scooped it up in her mouth and made a break for it. While tails could grow back if the wound was allowed to heal properly, losing one was a sore spot for anybody. It would take time, energy, and plenty of food to grow another one. To make matters worse for the Barioth, there had been a hungry Deviljho nearby, and she already made off with it.

She found herself a quiet area to sit down and enjoy her meal. The white shell that covered it took awhile to chew, she enjoyed it nonetheless. The meat was tough, but that was just the way she liked it.

While she never did find out who that Monster was, she burped after finishing her meal and was starting to wonder if Sparks was back yet. She'd only been out for about four hours and she was wondering what to eat next. Being a Deviljho was a tough life, but she wasn't about to just give up.

Joan wandered around the area, hoping to find some Popos. Instead, she came across someone she didn't want to see: another Deviljho named John. While she was a runt of her kind, he was a superior specimen. He stood twice her height and was packed from head to the tip of his tail in hardened muscle. His body was still cooling off after he became enraged during his fight against another Deviljho who must have wandered into the area.

He shook his head and roared while his opponent lay motionless. He had won, meaning the other was no longer amongst the living. But before he could begin to eat, he and Joan noticed another Deviljho, another male, wandering into the area. This was a surprise, because Deviljhos were never good amongst each other, much less anyone they thought as food.

The second noticed the body and roared his challange. John put his face close to the ground and used his chin fangs to scoop up the body and hurled it into the air. This was quite the feat because Deviljhos weighted several tons at least. This was nothing like the boulders that they were known for throwing at Hunters.

But this second intruder would not back down and charged. John ducked his head and slammed him with his shoulder, knocking the wind out of him. The two bit at each other's necks and swung their tails, bringing down a couple of trees in the process. The Deviljho stomped the ground, creating a shockwave, but John was unaffected. But when the Deviljho hurled a rock that shattered against John's head, that was the breaking point.

John threw his head back and roared, his body turning red as his rage increased. Scars from former battles appeared as bright lines in his hide. The pain these brought as they were stretched open again pushed his anger even farther until he stood a step forward and breathed.

A destructive wave of black lightning erupted from his mouth. The Deviljho had to run to keep from being hit. John, still enraged, wasn't about to let up and chased after him.

Joan watched as the two left the area, making sure to keep her head down until they were out of sight. She was still young and much too small to handle either of them. Then a scent caught her nose that drew her attention away from the fight.

The fallen Deviljho wasn't going anywhere soon, and for all she knew, John had already forgotten about it. If he won his current fight like he did with this one, he would had something to distract him right there.

Not caring that this was a member of her own species, Joan dug in. The smell of the flesh was so pugnent that it assaulted her senses and drove her into her a feeding frenzy. This was just one of the many reason Monsters never hunted a Deviljho. The smell of a dead one was a enough to knock out a Congalala. But to another Deviljho, it was one heck of a meal.

As she was chewing on the tail, she bit into something that broke two of her teeth. There was a rock or something in the flesh of this Deviljho's tail. It was some kind of violet, almost black, sphere with a large crack down the middle because of the strength of her jaws. She looked down at her fallen teeth, surprised by how strong this rock was. Fortunately her teeth would grow back, she lost teeth all the time. She licked her lips, finally content for maybe the next few days. Because of a Deviljho's diet, their flesh was almost toxic in how potent it was. She was hoping that this would help her grow a little bit.

When she heard a roar in the distance, she got up and ran for it, taking a leg bone with her. She wanted to make sure she wasn't around if John returned and find the body had already been eaten. The snow sould cover up her tracks.

Once she was back in her home territory, she spent some time licking her hands. She was a mess and needed to clean herself. She had to lick the blood off becuase she didn't like taking cold baths. There was always so much ice around here that she could lose maybe twenty pounds shivering her tail off. And it always made her very hungry afterwards. She was happy right now and didn't want to ruin it.

As she came across a herd of Popo, one of them had to lift the hair over their eyes to realize who was coming. The Popo cried, "Deviljho!" and everyone took off. She ran after them, her predator instincts working in full drive. She loved to run after her prey, almost as much as she loved eating. If she could catch one, she could put it away for later. That was only _if_ she could catch one on a full belly.

Because life was full of danger from predators, Popos were known for their running endurance. While they simply wanted to live day in and day out eating and sleeping, things weren't always that easy. This was why they could run longer than most Monsters. This was how they dealt with predators, they ran until the predator tired themself out. This was good for the Popos for sometimes the predator sometimes became the prey to something else.

These Popos were no different as they started to run as fast as they could. But Joan wasn't about to let them get away. Although they appeared big to Hunters, the Popos were thin enough to run through the trees without too much difficulty. But for a Deviljho, even a small one like Joan, she had to watch where she was running because she wasn't good at turning at these speeds. Joan also got caught between two trees more than once and had to thrash about to get loose.

After chasing them for nearly an hour, Joan almost had one of the smaller ones when the little Popo fell into a ditch. While she was ok, Deviljhos were not very good at stopping at these speeds either. Joan leaped into the air, propelled by her powerful legs, only to crash head-first into a tree.

"Um...ouch?" she muttered as she stumbled to her feet. "Hey, who put that Gravios there?" She shook her head and charged after the Popo once again, which had gotten a good lead on her yet again.

But as the herd left for the next area, they suddenly scattered as one of them hit the ground. Joan had to stop and wonder what was going on for a second as four tiny figures came out and started carving the Popo. She couldn't believe that the Hunters were chopping up her food!

Joan threw her head back and roared, causing three of the Hunters to run. But one decided to stick around and shot his bowgun at her. The Pellet Shot hardly did a thing to her thick hide as she almost dove for the Popo. She was pulling it away when she felt a slight pinprick in her shoulder.

But what she really felt was the explosion that followed.

She screamed and fell over when the Crag Shot burned her arm. There wasn't too much damage, but her hide was burnt and bleeding. She got up and turned to run, bringing the full weight of her tail around and slapping the Hunter unconcious. The Hunter was fortunate that Joan wasn't in the mood to fight or she would have come after him and his group for hurting her.

By the time Sparks got back, he found Joan in the nest, crying her eyes out. He dropped the four frozen Kelbi and crawled in beside her. The Khezu knew what happened to her when he got a look at the burn marks on her arm. Only Hunters used such weapons in the Tundra.

Joan flinched as he pushed her on her side so that she was facing away from him and started to lick at the frozen flesh. A whimper left her lips as the acid started to burn, but she didn't say a word and let him continue. Her hide was more than strong enough to handle it, but it still hurt. Once the wound was clean, he rubbed her arm, covering it in the film that covered him. It would act like a bandage, protecting her from infection while she healed. Then he threw his wing over her and held her close against his body. He was so much colder than her, so this quickly brought her temperature down. Her sobs subsided and her breathing returned to normal as she cooled off. After just a few minutes, she was sleeping softly.

Sparks wondered what sort of day she must have had. He rubbed her belly and noticed how full she was. She sighed and licked her lips as she slept, a good sign coming from her. He slipped out of the nest to pick up the bone she had dropped by the enterance to the cave. It was there that he noticed a small pile of snow.

"Hey, we don't eat your kind. So if you're looking for trouble, better just leave now."

The Baggi shook himself off, "I'm looking for my brother. I was told that a Deviljho ate him."

"Not this one, I live with her and can tell you that she doesn't like Baggi. They make her tired and that only leaves her even more hungry when she wakes up. Besides, if a Deviljho ate your brother, you're better off leaving them alone. You're only likely to join him. Even a small one can take down a whole pack of your kind, along with your leader."

The Baggi looked surprised and decided that it was best to leave now while he could.

The Khezu had to wonder what was with this little Monster, "Must have hatched only half a year ago. Looks young enough. Too bad about his brother though." Sparks went back inside the cave and put his frozen Kelbi away before crawling into the nest. Joan didn't have to be awake to take the bone from him and started to lick it. This was another good sign because it meant she wasn't about to bite him by mistake.

"Sweet dreams." Sparks covered the young Deviljho with his wing and fell asleep too.

Joan woke up the next day with her wound covered in film and feeling so much better now. One thing about Sparks was that the Pale Extract his body produced had amazing healing properties. This was why things like scars never really showed and toxins didn't last long on them. And because the two shared the same nest together, his film always helped to heal her wounds. Joan touched the burn on her arm and flinched. A few more days and it would be gone without a trace.

Sparks was just finishing off a Kelbi for breakfast when she threw her arms around him. She caught him off guard and recieved a jolt for it when he suddenly let off a full-body electric shock. The two tumbled to the floor, Sparks falling too because his tail wasn't keeping him grounded. All that electricity came back and zapped him too.

"Told you not...to sneak up on me..." was all he could mutter.

"Sorry..." Joan replied as she sat up and crawled over to put her head on his chest. "I met Little Gig yesterday."

"Oh? What was she up to?" he asked as he stroked her head.

"She lives in the cave just down the path. I found her when I was looking for food."

"I hope you didn't try to eat her."

Joan's head came up suddenly, "How could I eat your cousin?"

"I was joking. I know you better than that." He sat up and hugged her. As she pressed her hand into his back, he felt something there. "Hey, what's this?" he pulled away to see the stone she still had in her hand. "Where did you get this?"

"Another Deviljho."

"You're not injured, so you couldn't have fought them."

Joan shook her head, "He was already dead when I found him, John killed him."

Sparks pulled his hood of skin off his head, revealing white hair and sky-blue eyes, "You saw John?"

"Another Deviljho came around and challanged him to a fight. I couldn't resist having a bite of the other when the two left. I lost a few of my teeth when I bit into this." She held up the stone for Sparks to get a good look at it.

"I've heard of Wyvern Stones growing in some Monster's insides, but I never seen anything like this before." He took it from her and hid it inside a crack in the wall before blocking it with snow. "There, this will keep it safe." He was caught in yet another hug, this time he wasn't sure why. "What's up?"

"I don't know, I just wanted to hug you."

"It's good that you're so small, or else you would flatten me." When she didn't respond, he knew what was going through her mind. "Joan."

"Hmm?" she looked up.

"You're licking again."


	3. Cold Reception

**Hey, sorry for taking so long, I've been busy with everything that I forgot to keep writing on this one. If you're still wondering about the monster who was fighting the Barioth, I'm not going to tell just yet. But there is someone else who is coming around.**

**Read and find out just who it is.**

* * *

><p>A few days later, Joan awoke to find herself still wrapped in Sparks' arms. He was tired from all his time outside and was sleeping in. She didn't mind, in fact, she was almost enjoying herself in his arms. They've been doing this for years, ever since Joan was attacked by a Bullfango when she was young. Her injuries made it difficult for her to sleep properly, so Sparks joined her and she's been sleeping soundly since. She licked his face a few times, which only served to make him snort and go back to sleep. She did it again and he woke with a start, looking around and wondering why his face was wet. He pulled his hood from his eyes and realized that he wasn't someone's breakfast just yet.<p>

"Oh, it's you."

"What, not happy to see me?"

"If I answer, you'll either laugh at me or bite me," he told her.

To which she replied, "I can do both you know."

"Ok, now I know that has to be some kind of Deviljho joke."

Joan looked at him with a confused look on her face, "Why do you say that?"

"Because you bite me enough times when you're asleep." He looked down to the marks on his chest.

Her face went red as she realized what she had done, "Oh no, not again!"

"Well, at least you're not licking this time."

Joan pushed him out of the nest and got up herself. She was hungry, more than usual, which wasn't much of a stretch. This always happened after an injury. She got worked up and needed to eat.

"Sparks, do you have any Kelbi left? I need something to snack on."

"Ya, their in the second snow pile."

She ran up and hugged the Khezu, "Thank you."

"What's this for? They're just Kelbi."

"For helping me to feel so much better these last few days." She dug her face in his chest.

He chuckled and rubbed her back, "That's one of the reasons I'm here."

"What are the other reasons?" she asked.

"I'm your best friend; I keep you cool at night; and I taste good."

Joan smiled, "I like that last one."

"That's what scares me. Well, I have to go again. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"Ok, I'm going out for a bite to eat anyways."

"Make sure you stay away from trouble this time, alright?"

"Alright, I will. But if anyone gets near my food, I won't play nice."

The Khezu shrugged and took off. It was snowing heavily when the two left the cave. While Joan's arm was feeling better now, thanks to Sparks, he couldn't do anything abou her hunger. She fished out one of the frozen Kelbi and wandered around the area. Unfortunately, the Popo herd from before were nowhere to be seen; she had to find another one if she wanted to eat.

As she was passing a pack of White Velociprey, a rare sight in these parts thanks to the Baggi, she kept coming across a nice smell. It smelled a lot like food and she kept trying to catch the scent, but the fierce winds that whipped at her kept blowing it around.

Then she came across a strange sight in a box canyon. There were several frozen Popos lying dead on the ground. They didn't appear to have been attacked by any predators; instead they looked like they had been crushed under heavy chunks of ice. She would have left them there if it wasn't for her hunger. She was starving after what happened to her yesterday.

Her mouth dripping with saliva, she sank her teeth into one of the Popo and and made short work of it. Flesh and bone were tore apart as she dug right in. She snapped off a rib and chewed the bone to dust before swallowing it. Her thick throat and acidic saliva made it possible to devour everything without harm to herself.

While she was eating, a Great Baggi and his pack came by on this sight. They were hungry too, for the bad weather was making it difficult to catch anything. The box canyon was protected from the harsh winds and the Deviljho was too distracted with what she was doing to care about them. They dove onto one of the frozen Popos furthest from Joan and tore into it.

While the rest were eating, one of the Baggi boys wandered a little too close to Joan; she easily heard him coming and turned her head to snarl at him. He squeeked and ran off to hide behind one of the other dead Popos. She hadn't meant to be so scary; it was just a bad idea to get close to a Deviljho's meal. He was just lucky that she didn't like Baggi or else she might have tried to eat him too.

The Great Baggi shook his head as the smaller one shivered. He snorted and went back to eating. The other Baggi, those who were actually paying attention, shrugged and did the same.

But what none of them knew was that they were being watched. Two figures stalked the edges of the top of the caynon, their white fur blending in with the snow blowing around them. They didn't like intruders in their territory; a lesson that the few remaining Popos, who had already left the area, had learned.

One of them grabbed a chunk of ice and chucked it, knocking off and killing a Baggi boy who was standing the top of a Popo corpse. Another chunk went out, killing another. The Great Baggi looked up and noticed that two of his pack were dead when a third joined them. He let out a surprised call and the pack scattered. He didn't know who was attacking them and wasn't about to stick around to find out. What they failed to do in their quick responce was to tell the young Deviljho.

She was making quick work of the insides, so her head was stuck inside the Popo. Even if one of the Baggi had told her of the attackers, it was doubtful that she would have heard. The two figures above watched as the Baggi left as fast as they could. They had learned their lesson not to return, but they didn't know what this larger monster was.

One of them, the female, picked up a chunk of ice and hurled it with deadily accuracy. Joan squeeled as she was hit on the base of her tail and pulled her head free. Another chunk of ice was already flying; this one striking her face. She shook her head, confused by who was attacking her. She couldn't see them; only the third chunk of ice that was coming for her. She dodged it and watched as a pair of white figures leaped down.

She recognized these two by their red faces, two sharp fangs, and long whiskers; they were Blangongas. This had to be their territory and Joan was smack in the middle of it. They were a territorial bunch and not known for forgiveness; their hearts as cold as the ice and snow they lived in.

Instead of words, the Blangona man darted up to her and slammed his shoulder into her gut. She had to fight back the wave of nausa that washed over her as she tried to keep her meal down. After just eating, she wasn't very quick on the draw. She took blow after blow before she was slammed into a wall. The ice crashed as her skull was smashed against it, sending pain shooting through her. She fell to the ground and stopped moving.

The two Blangongas laughed as they won the fight against yet another Monster. They didn't even know the name of her kind; not that it mattered as they were victorious. The Blangonga man was taken by surprise when Joan suddenly pushed herself up and lashed out with a powerful kick that knocked him several meters.

Her body was burning up with desire, the desire to devour everything and everyone in her way and her body wasn't able to contain it any longer. As the pain forced her mind deep inside itself, her back turned a bright shade of red, her chest and ribs swelled up; all of this making her look bigger. So what if she was just a runt; she was still a Deviljho and had all their abilities. She roared so loud that she could be heard over the screaming winds above.

The Blangonga woman ran to the side of her mate, only for them both to be knocked back as Joan charged through them. She spun on the spot, slapping them both down again with her heavy tail. She wasn't the simple Deviljho girl anymore because they had beaten out that part of her. This was the raw nature of every Deviljho. This was why they were such terrors. Pain was their power, the force that drove them was hunger was not enough to kill and devour.

She screamed with her anger and slammed her foot down, shaking even the canyon walls. She screamed again and again, unable to contain her fury. Her body was too small and weak to handle it and was being torn apart from the inside.

The two Blangongas didn't know what was happening because they never seen a monster this crazy before. Every monster they ever came across either respected their power of feared it, but this one was beyond any and all reason.

The Blangonga man leaped out of the way as Joan charged him, only to crash into the wall. She spat out a tooth, screamed, and slammed her head into it several times until part of the caynon wall crumbled on top of her. She was buried under several tons of ice and snow; this only served to piss her off even more.

She hefted a large block of ice off her and leaped out of the pile. She was badly injured and bleeding from many wounds, but she wasn't dead yet. She screamed again and again and simply gave out. Her eyes closed and she tipped over. The two Blangongas were shocked by what had just transpired. Somehow they were alive, but with injuries of their own. Then came a loud cry in the distance. Something had heard Joan and was coming to see what was going on.

The two didn't want to fight anymore, having seen a crazed Monster in action. They wanted to live to see another day, but to wait for an unknown entity was just suicide right now. There was a crash as a new Monster came down from the sky. This wasn't a slow and soft landing either; the Monster simply hit the ground like a rock. The Blangongas jumped with all their might, propelling them clear from the box canyon. They recognized this new threat and knew that they didn't stand a chance against them.

The Monster woman shook herself off and looked around. She was happy to see that there was plenty of food here. There were several Popos, a few Baggi, and one Monster that was as big as she was. She gulped down the Baggi first, seeing as they were so small. She crunched them first to make sure they fit down her gullet. Then she turned her attention to the strange monster.

She stopped her advance towards Joan when she whimpered. She was fading in and out; the pain she suffered was too much for her to bear. The other Monster rolled the Deviljho onto her back so she could get a better look at her face.

"So young and cute. Just how I like them." She opened her mouth wider than most monsters could, ready to take Joan's whole head in, when the ground shook. "What?" she leaped into the air and took off as a white blade erupted from the ground. Yet another Monster, one not seen in many years, made his appearance. He was much bigger than her, with a shovel-like chin and sharp blade-like ridges across the back of his head and back. "Damn it!" she screamed and flew off.

The Ukanlos didn't know what to think when he saw the world around him. He had been buried under the ice for many decades, so he was stepping into a world that had forgotten about his existence. Then he saw Joan, a lone Deviljho among the bodies of several Popo. He instantly recognized her kind by her dark green skin and large tail. He raised a heavy fist, ready to end her life when she whimpered in pain. He froze at that moment, unsure as to what to do. When she closed her eyes, his fist came down. He smashed a chunk of ice like it was nothing and scooped up the young Deviljho.

"Papa?" she muttered as the storm died down. He looked at her but she had already blacked out again.

"So small." His voice was rough like gravel, yet cold like ice. "I don't know why I am sparing a devil jaw like you. I had hoped we had removed all of your kind from this land before my long sleep. I guess we have failed. But, you seem different from the others. Maybe it is your skin; the lack of scars leaves me to wonder how this has come to be."

She muttered something that sounded like a responce, "I want Sparks, Khez..."

"Hmm? A Khezu?" he knew of their kind. But why would a Deviljho want to see one? He shook his mighty head, careful not to slice her with his chin blade.

He wandered the land for several hours, unable to find his way because the landscape was so different now. This truly was no longer his world anymore. How long has he been sleeping? As he passed, monster of all kinds could hear him coming and took off to safer areas. He was the biggest thing now, even bigger than any Deviljho. Nobody knew what he was and prefered not to find out.

He stopped by a river for a drink, taking the time to stretch his arms and legs out. Most Monsters would have never survived being stuck in ice for so long. But he was an Ukanlos; living in, under, and around ice was part of who he was. His thoughts turned towards his clan. What might have happened to them?

Although they didn't quite share territories and kept to themselves, they would wander about from time to time. They were dragons after all, and not mere wyverns. They were much stronger and much more advanced than most species of Monster. Territory only became an issue when their numbers got too high.

A pack of Baggi wandered by while he was thinking by the river. He was so lost in thought that they mistaken him for a giant boulder. They had no experience with his kind, so they didn't recognize what he was. The fact that he could lay motionless didn't help things either.

They had come because they could smell blood in the air. Their flesh was quite potent and even a small one like Joan could keep them fed and happy for months. But just as they were crawling over her, the Ukanlos realized what was happening, he got up and took her away. To them, it was like a small mountain was getting up and wandered off with their meal.

Because he was larger than anything the forest ever dealt with, many trees were snapped in half as he pushed past. When he came across a frozen river, he pushed right through. He knew the ice wouldn't hold him and he didn't expect it too. The ice simply couldn't resist his passage as he walked though it, uneffected by the intense cold. Even as more ice formed on his shell, he kept moving, barely giving it any notice at all.

As he came across a cavern, he thought that he might find the Khezu inside. But as he neared, someone else came out to greet him.

"What's with all the ruckus out...here..." a Gigginox woman appeared, crawling along the top of the enterance. She couldn't quite tell who was here because she was seeing a large and cold body with a weak heat source. Once her eyes had a chance to shift, she screamed when she realized that it was a giant monster.

"I am looking for the one known as Sparks." He tried to be civil, but when speaking to a Monster barely as big as his tail, it was difficult for them to relax. "This one asked for the Khezu named Sparks." He held the Deviljho up.

"Joan! What did you do to her?" the Gigginox screamed, her pale white skin turning a deep purple to show her rage.

"Oh, so you know this one?"

"She is one of my best friends. I grew up with her. Now, tell me, what did you do?" Poison started to drip from the Gigginox woman's mouth as she prepared to give him a face full of it.

"I did nothing to this one, you poisonous little creature!" he boomed, his voice threatening to shake the cliffs around them. The Gigginox found herself choking on her own poison. "I found this one like this when I awoke, do not think that I had anything to do with it when I look for her comrad!"

The Gigginox calmed, her skin turning back to normal. "Go inside, I will get him. There are some frozen Kelbi over in that pile there."

"I am not hungry."

"They are not for you!" the Gigginox snapped. "They are for Joan, the Deviljho you're carrying! She will be hungry and will need something to eat. If you wish to take care of her, then at least feed her." With that the Gigginox woman took off into the air. She flew fast and hard, meaning she did indeed care for the Deviljho.

"Papa?" Joan moaned.

"Don't call me that. I am no parent to your kind."

She didn't seem to hear him when she muttered, "I'm hungry, Papa."

The Ukanlos sighed, grabbed one of the Kelbi, and put it to her mouth. The young Deviljho did the best she could to eat it but she was too weak and was missing her front teeth. While they would replaced in a few days, she couldn't eat like this. The Ukanlos took it into his own mouth and shredded it before giving bits of it to her. She swallowed each piece as best as she could but her throat was dry. He grabbed a large icicle from the enterance and popped it into her mouth. She soon fell asleep while sucking on it. It seemed to ease the pain of her lost teeth enough for her to find some rest.

As he sat there, holding the Deviljho, he had to think about what he was doing. He didn't have any answers to his actions. If there had been another Ukanlos, he may have been treated as a traitor of his kind. For as long as he could remember, the Ukanlos hunted Deviljhos for the way they destroyed the balance of the land.

"Joan!" a Khezu cried as he crawled across the ceiling. He landed in front of the Ukanlos, almost unaware of the one who now held his friend. He put the Deviljho down, happy to have the Khezu take her. Now that she was out of his care, he left them. He didn't know where he would go, but anywhere was better than here. But first he would have to see if his clan's old gathering grounds were still there.

The Gigginox woman hung herself from the ceiling by her tail, right in front of the Ukanlos, "Hey, I'm Little Gig by the way. Thanks for bringing her back. I'm sorry for what I said before. I thought you hurt her because you're so much bigger than she is."

"If she becomes anything like the others of her kind, I may have too. And neither of you will get in the way if you wish not to join her in her fate." He was almost out of the cave when he looked back, "I am Coldedge, remember my name and watch your friend or else we will meet again."

The Gigginox almost lost her grip as she watched the Ukanlos walk out. Looking at him sent a shiver through her skin. But she fell to the floor and ran over to check on Joan.

The Deviljho was sleeping soundly against the wall, wrapped up in Sparks' arms. He was trying to wave off the small swarm of Giggi who could taste the blood in the air. The Gigginox swept up her children and put them off to the side before joining up with Sparks and Joan. While her body did produce lethal poisons; her skin had some of the same properties as a Khezu.

As she snuggled up with them, Joan surprised the Gigginox by buring her face in the Monster's chest. She could feel the Deviljho trying to bite her, grabbing hold of her flabby skin. But she didn't have to worry about Joan doing her any harm. Without any front teeth, she was almost harmless as she gummed away at the Gigginox.

"Sorry, she does that." Sparks chuckled as Joan moaned in her sleep.

"I'm not worried. _You're_ the one who has to deal with her when her teeth grows back anyways."

"Please, don't remind me." He shook his head.

"No problem. I'm just surprised she hasn't turned you into a snack food yet."

"From what I can see, she's trying that with you already."

"Just go to sleep."

The Khezu tried but kept shifting, "Sorry, can't."

"What's wrong?" Little Gig asked.

Sparks reached down and pulled a Giggi from his hip, "Yours I suspect."

"I was wondering where you got off to. Get back with your brothers and sisters, this instant!"

"Sorry mom." The Giggi crawled away.

"Kids, why did I have to have so many?"

"I'd tell you, but your mouth opens much bigger than mine." With that, he went to sleep.


	4. Fang from the Stone Waters

**It's new years eve! I can't believe that I will be able to write this chapter during the last day of 2011. Because it is such a special day, I have revealed the identity of the unnamed monster in the third chapter. I hope you enjoy my story and are inspired to write your own. Please, send me your reviews because they remind me just why I try so hard to write. I enjoy writing for you people who love to read them.**

**I hope that I can keep writing. Devil Jaw Joan will keep going strong into 2012. I hope you keep reading and enjoy. If you don't, I'll make you babysit for Little Gig.**

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><p>After all the excitement of yesterday, both Little Gig was too tired to get up. But when she opened her eyes, she noticed that Joan wasn't with her anymore. But what was this squishy thing she holding? It tasted a little funny, but familiar. It almost tasted like she was trying to eat one of her own kind.<p>

"You can let my head go you know."

The Gigginox let the Khezu go as soon as she realized that she was trying to eat Sparks' head, "Sorry about that."

Sparks pulled up his hood, "That was a new experience. I just hope I don't have to go through it again."

Little Gig got up and smacked her lips, "Hey, where's Joan?"

"Over here mom," one of a dozen Giggies giggled with her siblings. "She's fun!" she cried as she was tossed up into the air and came down on the Deviljho's head.

"Where's your brother?" Little Gig asked her children.

"In here mom!" cried a voice, but the Giggi was nowhere to be seen. Then Joan smiled, revealing the young Giggi through the large gap where her front teeth used to be. "She's tickling me!"

"Joan, put him down, you don't know where he's been; _I_ don't even know where he's been."

The Deviljho spat out the slug-like Monster, sending him several yards though the air and into a pile of snow. "I wonbereb why you hased funny." It was difficult for her to talk right without her teeth.

The Giggi shook himself off, "I found a pile of neat things. There were these funny seeds that smelled weird."

"What kind of seeds?" Little Gig asked her son.

"Big purple kind with red stripes."

The look on Joan's face indicated that something was wrong, "Buf hose are...are..." she sneezed so hard that she blew herself onto her back and sent the rest of the Giggi rolling. "Fragon Seefs..." she sneezed and fell over again.

"Fragon Seefs? Never heard of them." Little Gig turned to Sparks, who was just shaking his head.

Sparks noticed the confused look on the Gigginox's face, "Great, Hunters must be bringing them around again. We don't get many Dragon Seeds around these parts because they prefer hot areas."

Little Gig shook her head when a Giggi fell on her, "Now what did I tell you kids about going around Hunters and their stuff? They could hunt you and take your teeth and skin for their own. Then they will turn you into clothes so they can look like Giggis and hunt more of you." She turned to Sparks and sighed, "I can't wait until these ones move out and I can have another batch in peace."

"You're still pregnant?" Sparks asked, shocked by what he was hearing.

"Of course I am. What, did you think that an attractive woman such as myself couldn't land any Gigginox I wanted? All it takes is a few shakes and they can't get their eyes off of me. Sometimes, I have to beat the poison right out of them cause they keep breathing so hard on me." She shook her tail in his direction and laughed. His reaction was so priceless she had to comment, "So that's why there are Red Khezu; they're just normal ones who get all embarrassed. And I was kidding; I'm always pregnant; I am a Gigginox after all, if you haven't already forgotten. Where do you think all these Giggi came from; it's not like a bird wyvern comes by and drops them off by the clawfull. They'd probably slip through their claws along the way."

Sparks shook his head and pulled his hood back over his eyes to hide his embarrassment, but his skin still showed it. Little Gig just laughed and went to gather her children. As for Joan, she sneezed so hard that she almost knocked Little Gig down with her own tail as she passed. Sparks had to leave the cave to get a Stormsender Seed for her. Although she didn't like Stormsender Seeds, they were the only cure for her contact with a Dragon Seed. She got one more good sneeze out before it took effect and her allergies relaxed. Sparks was just glad that he was behind her until several Giggi were shaken off the ceiling.

"I was wondering where those girls went." Little Gig pulled them off and put them away with the others. "Now, what are we going to do about food for Joan?"

"Well, her teeth will grow back in a day or two; she always has a few extra sets. I'm not surprised that she lost her chin spikes, but to lose the teeth behind them as well is a problem."

"I was fighfing Blangongas."

Little Gig shook her head, "I don't know what I find more surprising; how she said that without much trouble or that she survived the fight."

"Papa mus have safef me."

"That big Monster?" Little Gig asked and Joan nodded. "Honey, you're a Deviljho. And he told me that he might have to kill you if you become like every other of your kind."

Joan's eyes went wide and she tried to speak, but the gap in her teeth made it come out as a wheeze and a whistle.

"Don't argue with me; I can tell he's dangerous just by the look in his eyes. Even if you were full size, you wouldn't be quite as big as him. Sparks, can you get her something to eat?"

The Khezu nodded his head, "Alright, but don't expect too much. I can easily catch Kelbi and the like, but anything larger can be a problem for me." Joan jumped up and hugged him. "I'll be safe so don't worry about me."

Joan looked at him with such concern in her eyes reguardless. She didn't want him hunting for her; she found enough trouble in the last few days on her own. Joan didn't want to think about what he might find out there. She followed him to the edge of the cave and watched as he took off. Without her teeth, she wasn't very capable of killing her own prey.

Her arms were too weak and she lacked any chin spikes. All she had was her powerful legs and tail, but those were mostly used to injure her prey. Even if she killed something, she couldn't hope to eat it without her teeth. She was lucky to have Sparks and Little Gig as friends. They truly cared for her just as much as she cared for them.

"Hey, where's you're brother...Joan, your tail!"

Joan just wished she could care for all the Giggi just as much.

x

High above the ground, the Monster woman was scanning the area below with her powerful eyesight. She could count the number of Kelbi in one area, but wanted something bigger. But wherever she looked, there weren't any Monsters to see.

Then she spotted him; a Barioth without a tail. He was taking off from an open area where a group of Hunters had been attacking him. He didn't go very far; a fatal choice when Hunters were around. But he didn't have the strength to keep going much longer and had to rest. She watched from a fair distance, gliding through the air as silent as death's shadow. In her mind, her wings were singing the song of his doom.

She smiled, revealing dagger like fangs that lined her wide mouth. She waited until the Hunters were in the Barioth's area before making her move. She soared over her target and flapped her wings, stopping herself dead in the air. She didn't even attempt to recover as she went into free-fall. The Hunters were moving a pair of barrels to plant by the Barioth when she made impact.

The group of four was blown in different directions when she came crashing down; the force of her weight setting off the Large Barrel Bombs. But even with the fall and explosion, the Monster woman barely felt it. She brushed off her back legs and roared.

The Hunters with the smaller blades used their shields to protect themselves. But the ones with the Hammer and Long Sword had no such defense and were forced to cover their ears. The Barioth awoke with a start; unsure as to what woke him. He thrashed about, confused and still hurting from from his fight before.

The Monster woman smiled and called to him, "Hello, cousin. How is the ice you so enjoy?" She looked him over while the Hunters regrouped. "My, you are attractive. Too bad you're missing your tail; I would have so liked to have sank my teeth in it. I guess I will have to satisfy myself with that pretty hide of yours."

She pulled herself back and launched herself into a run, slamming into the Barioth and sinking her teeth into his shoulder. The Monster let go as he was about to bite her back. Those long fangs of his were even longer than her claws and could cause a lot of damage. They were perfectly designed to pierce a large Monster's neck and sever their spinal cord; thus killing them instantly.

But as she pulled away, the Barioth slapped her with his wing spikes. She was taken by surprise, and to his horror, she licked her bleeding lip. Then his eyes shifted to look at something behind her and he smiled, but she turned and slapped a chunk of ice at the Hunter as he was charging his Hammer for a slamming attack. He was knocked off his feet and couldn't do anything when she jumped on him. She clawed at him, slicing into armor with great fervor until the others ran to help their ally. He was injured, but he wore Barroth shell armor, preventing her from striking anything vital. But that didn't matter to her; she liked it when prey screamed because it just made hurting them so much more...exciting. It wasn't much fun if they died too easily.

She could feel the blood pumping through her veins as she charged at the Hunters, snapping her jaws with bone-crushing force. A metal Long Sword was slapped into her mouth as she passed, but the blade was ripped off by her weight and power. The Hunter could only look with utter shock and horror when she turned and hurled the mangled blade through the air. His weapon now useless, he ran.

A sudden blade of cold air wrapped another Hunter in ice, forcing him to make a run for it as well. The Barioth had found the energy to attack with his breath weapon; an explosive ball of ice that spread quickly. He leaped onto her back, his claws scraping the backs of her shoulders as he tried to find something to hold onto. But she planted one foot and kicked herself into a spin, sending him flying into a nearby wall. Somehow, he found footing there and launched himself back at her, only for her to spin again, knocking him away. He rolled across the frozen ground and was stunned when a chunk of ice crashed into his face.

The Monster was having such a great time that she couldn't help but drag her claws over the tough hide that covered her wide hips. She flicked her tail, knocking out the remaining Hunter. The others had either run or were carried off by the Felynes and their wagon, who were now coming for him. She didn't care; she was having too much fun.

"Can you hear it?" she asked the Barioth.

He tilted his head, "Hear what?"

"The sounds of your death; it's so _good_ that I could almost dance to the beat." It was true, for the way she was shaking almost looked like she was about to. "I can't take it anymore, I must have you!" She lowered herself into a crouching position, stretching out her back, and roared before launched herself at him again. The Barioth could only watch as she made off with most of his neck. He dropped to the ground, unable to fight any longer.

She quickly grabbed his head and lifted him up to look into his face, "You have such beautiful eyes, I wonder what they taste like."

The last thing the Barioth could see was the inside of her mouth.

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><p>Coldedge was listening to the frozen winds when he heard the bloodthirsty cries in the distance. He didn't recognize them as anything a Deviljho ever made. The small one,Joan, wasn't a part of what was going on. The Tundra was a dangerous place; just about everything was trying to eat you.<p>

While he looked on from the top of the mountain, a group of Bullfango were making their way up. He didn't give them any notice until the eldest of them, a Bulldrome, came to greet him. The grey and white boar was missing a tusk, a mark of his harsh life to become the leader of the group.

"Winds from the south carry their greetings to you, Frozen One."

The Ukanlos turned to reply, "Your words bring blessings to your tribe from the frosts of the north."

"I am honored. We have waited for many years for your return."

It was good that the Bulldrome tribe remembered the old ways, "How long has it been?"

"Knowledge of your dissapearance has been passed down through fourteen generations."

Coldedge couldn't believe it was that long, "What has happened to my clan?"

"They fought against the devil jaws valiantly, bringing their numbers down greatly." The Bullfango looked as if he didn't want to finish, but he knew it wasn't wise to withold information from an Ukanlos. "But it has been told to me that a new threat had come."

"What threat?"

"We are unsure, for after your clan was wiped out, the threat dissapeared, just as you have done."

Coldedge couldn't believe it; someone had attacked his clan. His was the strongest clan of all; with nearly fifty head strong. It would have taken all the other clans to make that number. Now he was the last one here. Wait, maybe there was a chance.

"Have any of the other clans gone into the Diving Slumber."

The Bullfango talked amongst themselves until their leader stamped his hoof, "We are unsure. Much of our knowledge has been lost over time. We have done our best, but we are under constant threat by many creatures here without the protection of the Frozen Ones. We are unsure if any will ever wake, for none besides you has come."

There was a chance, but he didn't know where to search. He had come up here on this mountain hoping to find signs. But after so long, there was nothing left for him to find. Either his clan moved on or were wiped out. All he found below was the slumbering shells of his ancestors.

"Thank you for telling me this. May the mountains of the west give you their blessing."

"And may the skies of the east show you the path you seek." The Bulldrome and all his Bullfango bretheren touched their snouts to the ground as a sign of respect. They took their leave back down the mountain.

But just as the last of them were leaving, a Monster came down with a heavy crash and snarled. The two Bullfango who thought about attacking this perceived threat immedietely turned around and charged off when they realized a member of another clan had come.

"So, what does a Sister of the Stone Waters has to do with me?"

"I have heard of your return. I had to come and find out for myself. I bring you greetings from the southern claw."

"The northern frost reconizes you. You carry the mark of Bloodsong."

"I took that name from the previous owner and inherited her knoweledge by the Sand Matrons." The Monster woman licked her claws clean to taste the slight hints of blood.

"I see you have been hunting."

"It is what I do." Bloodsong showed her fangs with her wide smile.

The Ukanlos turned and walked towards her. His massive bulk dwarfed her with ease. This realization sent a chill up her spine as a result. That was good, for it meant she would have some respect for him and his power. Her kind only thought highly of those who could prove their worth. Being so much bigger than her proved that he could easily crush her. That was enough for her.

"What can I do for you?" she asked. She sat herself down and picked at her teeth.

"I want you to search for any signs of a strange being who has the power to fell one of my kind."

The Monster woman stood up again, "You must be kidding yourself. One such as youself should know that I only seek the death of my food, not my own."

"Do this and you will be greatly rewarded." He walked out into the middle of the area and slammed his chin into the ice. He forced his bulk through the ice and came back holding a long-frozen corpse of another Ukanlos. "Find me the information I seek and this and three others will be yours to sake your hunger."

Bloodsong was walking towards the dead Ukanlos with hunger in her eyes and a thirst for blood in her throat. But Coldedge dove back down, taking the frozen prize with him. He shoved the ice back into the hole and waited for her answer.

"I will do as you ask."

"Good, no leave me. May your fangs find the flesh you seek."

"And may the ice keep you strong."

Coldedge ignored her as she launched herself into the air and catch the wind under her wings. She took off as fast as she could in the direction of the highest mountain that lay far off in the distance. That would be the next gathering grounds for another clan. With any luck, there would be other Monsters there who would still remember the name of Ukanlos.

He dove deep into the ground, digging down until he came across a familiar cavern hidden deep inside the mountain. A dim light shined from beneath his feet, though many layers of ice that was as strong as any shell.

There, sitting before him, on a throne of his ancestors shell and bones, sat the largest Ukanlos ever known. Frozen in ice as ancient as himself, was Stonefrost, the great-great-great grandfather of Coldedge. Stonefrost was easily half an Ukanlos bigger than any of his kind. Because of his ferocity in battle and leadership skills, this cavern was carved out for him and him alone.

"I am sorry to disturb you, but I had to come. So much time has passed since I became trapped in the ice that I fear that I am the last. I have sent a Sister of the Stone Waters to find whatever beast that has brought ruin upon our clan."

He knew he wouldn't get a responce, but he continued anyways, "Grant me your strength, for I believe I have found a devil jaw who is different from her kind. I know I am bound by my duty to protect this region from her kind, but she lacks the marks of war on her flesh. To make is even more absurd, she is friends with a Khezu and Gigginox. She looked at me and didn't know just who I was. There was no fear in her eyes. She even called me her 'Papa'. By the frozen wastes, I actually saved her life. Please, by your strength and wisdom, let this creature prove herself different from her kind so I may rest easy. But if she fails, let her end be swift by my blade."

He turned to leave, but stopped to wonder. He looked back to the frozen Uklanlos and muttered to himself, "But I wonder what would happen if she comes into contact with the sister of the Stone Waters clan. What is one Deviljho girl of such a young age against one who carries the title of Bloodsong, highest rank among all the women who could ever call themselves Tigrex?"

Coldedge snorted to the thought, for he knew exactly what would happen; the one known as Joan would lose her life that day. If that happened, there would be no tears for her from the frozen dragon. He had no tears to shed for his own kind, why should he ever have any for one whose sort devoured so many of his kind.


	5. Clans of Mist and Stone

**Once again, sorry for taking so long. I've been busy with work and my other stories. I also got sick over my birthday, can you believe that? Anyways, I'm 26 now and raring to write some more. I love getting your reviews, it always helps to know how much you love my stories.**

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><p>As the Kelbi herd looked around for patches of sweet grass, one of them thought he heard something. There was a flash of black and the Kelbi didn't have time to even realize that he was dead. By the time the others could figure out what had happened, three more were falling dead, their confusion frozen on their faces. A loud growl sent the rest of them running as a black shadow dropped from the massive branches of the great tree above them. The Nargacuga licked her blades clean of blood and snarled when she realized that she was still on her own.<p>

Three Nargacuga cubs climbed down from their perches and dove on the dead Kelbi. At their age, they lacked their mother's wing blades. The blades could grow as they did, along with a fold of skin that would become their wings. The Monster woman smiled as her cubs laughed and giggled while they tore into their food. She sank her fangs into her own Kelbi and took her time with it. The cubs didn't have her strength, so they grouped together to tear the meat apart. But when her ears perked up and she turned to look, the cubs stopped what they were doing.

Another Nargacuga was coming; a mature male. The cubs ducked behind their mother, whose fur was beginning to stand on end. She let out a low growl and extended her wing blades and tail spikes in a protective display. The male stopped for a moment and slowly made his way towards her. He was careful in his actions, trying not to appear threatening. Once he was just two meters away, he dropped the Mosswine he was carrying before settling himself down.

The Monster woman sighed and smiled before speaking to her cubs, "It's alright, go see your daddy." The cubs, assured that it was safe, all squeeled and started crawling over the larger Nargacuga. "I was wondering where you gone off to." The woman tore off a Kelbi leg and handed the rest to her mate.

The Monster man took it and flinched when one of the cubs nabbed his tail, "It's not safe for me to be around for long. Not with the children still so young and you so protective." He turned his head and snarled, "No biting, little missy!"

"Yes daddy." The cub let go of her father's tail and was promptly tackled by her older brother and sister.

The Nargacuga snorted and took a bite out of the leg, "Things were so much simpler before these three came along. In the past, I would bring home a Mosswine and we would eat under the glow of the moon with just each other's company."

"I agree, those were good days. But with your charm, having children was inevitable." She flinched when her first daughter grabbed her tail. Though they were young, they still had claws. She pulled her tail away and flicked the child on the nose with it. The Monster girl chuckled and tackled her younger brother, who was trying to grab at the meat in their father's paw while he was distracted. The two fell to the ground and rolled around on the grass, giggling away.

Once their bellies were full and they were done playing, the three were soon fast asleep. The two Nargacugas looked at each other, remembering what it was like to be their age. They took the three back to their cave and tucked them away, the man taking his leave afterwards. This was his territory, it was his duty to make sure there were no intruding Monster around who could bring harm to his children.

He was out for nearly an hour when he found a Monster, whose form was similar to his, waiting for him. It was another woman, but not of his kind. Her scales were bright orange, with blue stripes all along her back. He knew her kind and knew this couldn't end well if he had to fight her. He prepared his wing blades, even though she appeared to be waiting for him.

"I come for information." The Tigrex woman smiled, baring many teeth in the process. She reeked of blood; she had killed recently.

"Then you have to look elsewhere, I know you're a Sister of the Stone Waters."

"Fortunately for you, I'm not in the mood to fight you. I've already eaten, so consider yourself fortunate. I'm searching for a being who once attacked the Frost Clans."

"We of the Tree Scales have nothing to do with the Frozen Ones."

"That's right, your lords are the Fading Mists. If you ever actually find one, do be sure to ask them about the one who would pose a threat to your precious clan."

"And what sort of threat is it that you seek?"

Bloodsong shrugged and smiled, "I have no desire to fight something that has given the Frost Clan troube. But the current lord of the clan has provided me with a bargain worthy of the effort. And so here I am."

"And so you will leave with the knowledge that none of the sort has ever come across our lands."

"Who's there? Show yourself!"

Several meters away, the air flickered as a Chameleos revealed himself, "The western fog reveals you, young one. I am Rainwing."

The Tigrex snarled, as she didn't like to be surprised. But she soon realized that she was in the presence of an Elder Dragon, "I am Bloodsong, and I bring greetings from the southern claw."

"Even as old as I am, I have never seen any Monster who would dare attack any of the clans. You should search the Earthen Sea and look for a member of the Stone Clan. If you do not see them at first, be sure only to land on solid stone. Those of the Stone Clan are known to attack and consume any they find when they have just surfaced. Not even other elders are safe from them."

"I will keep that in mind." Bloodsong took flight and was off again.

The Nargacuga was uncomfortable with this talk of one who would dare attack a clan. He turned to the Chameleos and asked him, "Are you sure of such a being to exist?"

"It was my great grandfather who once seen a strange being fly over this very forest. If there are any of the Frost Clan who still exist, they will want to defeat this threat. They are as strong as the ice they live on, and just as cold. They have no remorse for any who would dare attack them. As a member of the Mist Clan, I have a duty to ensure that my people are protected."

The Nargacuga shook himself, for the very thought of such a being disturbed him. He excused himself and ran off towards his home cave to find his mate asleep with the cubs under her wing. As he curled up beside her, the Monster woman opened her eyes and snorted before going back to sleep.

Fortunately, there were at least four Chameleos watching from the Great Tree, all scanning the area at once. Then there were the fifteen who were wandering about, as invisible as the air they breathed. Though Hunters still came in and out of the area on their hunts, none of them ever came into contact with a Chameleos. This was their territory, but they wouldn't dare reveal that to the Hunters. Even if some of their numbers should fall, there would always be more. Such was the purpose of the Mist Clan. They ensured that life would continue by always knowing where the threats were. Those who were caught would have to fight for their survival.

But today was a good day for the family of Nargacuga, for no hunters would find their cave.

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><p>Deep in the depths of the sands, she could sense the presence of something on the surface. It was moving fast and going in the same direction as she was going in. She rose to the surface and let out a bellow that could shake mountains. All she wanted was to be left alone, but just as she was about to ram her side into them, she was snagged by their harpoons. She tried to pull away but their ropes were too strong as she was held close to their ship.<p>

She could feel the Hunters jump onto her tail and walk up onto her back to try to crack through her rock-like shell. Their puny weapons would barely have any effect on her as she opened her mouth and sucked in sand, squeezed it into boulders, and fired them from her blowhole on the top of her head. Though they took off high into the air, they came down on her back and shattered, knocking three of the Hunters off. But she knew they would be back, they always did. There was still the matter of what to do with the last one. Once the ropes were free, she fired more stones, but the Hunter dodged them and continued to strike at her back with his Great Sword. Irritated by this pest, she twisted and threw him off.

Just as the Hunters were pulling themselves back to their ship, a shadow fell upon them and cut the ropes. Without their ship, the Hunters were left far behind while the Jhen Mohran and the other Monster left the scene. They would be picked up by the others who stayed behind, but their mission was now a failure.

Once she found a good spot to surface, she broke free of the sands and pulled her massive bulk out. She was the size of a small cliff, a true matron of the Stone Clan. There had been talk among the Delux that someone has been looking for her. A monster not seen around these parts has been asking about her location from the Diablos, her personal messengers. She stamped her hand on the ground and a pair of the fish-like Monster women appeared before her.

"Find our visitor, tell her where to find me." Her voiced boomed and she put her head down to rest.

"No need, you are easy to follow from the air." The Monster came down like a rock, scaring off the Delux. "I have come on behalf of the Frost Clan. I am Bloodsong, Sister of the Stone Waters."

The Jhen Mohran didn't raise her mighty head, "Your scales bear the mark of the sands, I welcome you child. What is it that the Frost Clan wants from the Stone Clan?"

"The current lord of the Frost Clan wishs to know what force may be to blame for the current condition of his clan members. It is unknown if they were attacked, or if any survived."

"I am old, my memories are long, so yes, I know of the being you ask of." The Jhen Mohran pushed herself up and rolled onto her side to expose her back. There was a long gash down that ran between her shoulders and across her spine, as if something had ripped right through the scales that were harder than the stone of mountains. For an attack to leave such a deep scar, one that not even all her years of life could hide, it was truly a ghastly mark left upon the mighty Monster woman's body. "I do not know it by name, but it came when I was young and killed my father, the old patron of the Stone Clan." She rolled back onto her belly and grunted, creating a large dust devil to form. "I am the only survivor of that attack. But when it was done with us, it took off. I do no know where it has gone, but you can search for the Flame Clan. They, or the Royalty of Fire will be able to help you located this beast."

"My gratitude for the information. I will take my leave now." The Monster woman look to the air and was gone without another word. Out of any Monster, this was the one that Bloodsong respected the most by her sheer power alone.

The Jhen Mohran snorted and laid her head down to rest. Her scar still burned to this day, an indication that the one who left it still lived. She could sense it, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn't abandon her duty to the sands or the Diablos and Delux she watched over. All she could do was hope that someone with the strength would rise and fight.

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><p>While Joan was busy stuffing her face with fish, Little Gig went to check on the exausted Khezu, Sparks. He left the cave for several hours and came back with a wingfull of various kinds of fish. When asked how he got them, he simply dropped them on the ground and fell against the wall. It wasn't much, especially for a Deviljho, but it was keeping her happy, and he was happy for that.<p>

Joan loved fish, but she hated the cold water. Because the fish of this area were covered in tough scales, they possessed a nice crunch that she truly enjoyed. It was like munching on bones to her. Plus they were soft enough that she could do it just by gumming them. Her new set of teeth were still growing in, so she needed a day or two before she was out hunting on her own again.

She chomped onto a green fish and it suddenly burst in her mouth. She giggled to herself and tried to cover her face so Sparks and Little Gig wouldn't see the mess it made. But when she chomped on a purple one, the explosion put her on her back. Being only the size of a khezu, she wasn't quite big enough to withstand such a shock.

"Hey, are you alright?" Little Gig was about ready to flip out and lay an egg when she saw the mess of Joan's face. "Sparks, get over here! There's something wrong with Joan!"

"Not this again. It's just a Bomb Arrowanna. They tend to blow up when you eat them. Heck, I'm surprised they didn't blow me up when I zapped them. Here, this should help. I should warn you though, this will get messy." Sparks walked over and picked up her tail. He made sure he was grounded by planting his own tail on the floor and he let the little Deviljho have a jolt.

"OW!" she woke with such a start that she coughed up all over Little Gig.

"Warned you." Sparks did his best not to keep his mouth shut because the Gigginox's cheeks were swelling up and changing color. It was such a sight that he couldn't help but burst out laughing. She responded by coughing a toxic blob in his face.

Joan woke up to see Sparks covered in purple goo while Little Gig was just purple. Thankfully, the Khezu's healing properties of his skin allowed him to shake off the poison without much trouble. She blinked from her surprise and started to laugh; she got a Burst Arrowanna in the mouth for it and was knocked flat again. She just licked her lips and went to have some more fish.

After Little Gig calmed down, she left them to deal with her next batch of eggs. She didn't have to worry about the earlier batches because they had already left the nest to find their own place to live. They couldn't live with their mother forever, so they wandered out to learn how to survive on their own.

While Sparks was washing his face off in a nearby stream, Joan jumped him from behind and gave him a hug. The two fell into the water when he accidentally shocked them both.

"Joan, I really wish you wouldn't do that. I know you want a hug, but you can't just sneak up on me like that."

The Deviljho giggled and hugged him. She didn't want to speak because she sounded funny without her teeth. Sparks shook himself and used his wings to dry Joan of as well. He didn't want her catching a cold; she'd freak if she couldn't find herself something to eat. She snuggled herself against him, using his flabby wings to keep herself warm. The fact that she was turning red meant she was doing a good job of that on her own.

"What's this? I'm gone for two minutes to lay my eggs and here you two are. You guys have a better grip on each other than I do on that Kelbi I had for dinner."

Joan turned such a bright shade of pink that Sparks couldn't help but laugh once again. The Deviljho turned and chomped down on the flabby skin on his chest. It was only when she realized she was tickling him when she remembered that she wasn't very effective right now.

She stamped her foot, which proved to be quite effective since it sent Sparks hopping. And when she turned around to storm off, she knocked him over with her large tail. The Khezu fell back into the stream and sputtered as Little Gig smiled and ran after her.

"Sorry about just appearing like that, I guess you two were having quite a moment there."

Joan blushed, but she smiled gave the Gigginox a big hug.

"Hey, careful now, watch the tail, watch the-" the two went down when Joan stepped on Little Gig's flat tail. "Ow, careful, ow!"

"Squify!"

"Now I know you mean 'squishy', but jeeze, you can get off me now." Little Gig chuckled and helped Joan up, who was still laughing.

"Hey, it's getting late now." Sparks wrapped his wings around Joan. "I think it's time to get back to the nest."

"Alright, I have to get back to my children anyways. Goodnight you two."

"Goodnight, Little Gig."

"Goodnigh, Liffle Gig."

Back at the nest, Sparks watched over Joan as she soon fell asleep while attempting to gnaw on a bone. He pulled his hood over his eyes and was asleep soon after. Several hours later, a lone Hunter stumbled across their cave.

She was inexperienced, so she only carried a simple Greatsword made of bone. As she approached the sleeping Monsters, she pulled out her weapon and inched closer. She was hoping to take out the sleeping Deviljho with just one hit, a feat only masters could even attempt on lesser monsters.

She raised her weapon over her shoulder, hoping to utilize the power strike taught to her, a technique that the Greatsword line possessed. When she felt her strength max out, she swung with all her might, bringing the weapon down with great force.

Joan wasn't interested in her dreams being interupted by this tiny figure and chomped down on it.

The Hunter tried her best not to squeel as she fought the Deviljho for her sword. It was unfortunate for her that the Monster's new teeth were just growing in, so they were sharp and strong. When she realized it was bone, Joan twisted her head and tore a chunk out. The Hunter looked at her broken weapon and decided it was best to leave. For good measure, Joan snapped at the Hunter's rear, tearing a piece of leather off her armor.

The Hunter ran as fast as she could as the Deviljho got up out of her nest. Sparks was still fast asleep and she didn't want to disturb him just because she was hungry. Joan snuck out and looked to the sky to see that it was gently snowing outside. This was good because it meant the Popo would be about looking for food.

She went back inside to check on Sparks before leaving the cave. He should still be asleep for another few hours, just enough time to find something to eat. Sneaking away into the forest, she kept her nose low to the ground to try and catch any scents along the way. There were Popo and even a Kelbi around, but there was one scent that caught her attention, and it smelled good.

Joan followed the scent and was quickly brought to a clearing in the forest. There, she found a group of Hunters cooking pieces of meat along the edge of the trees. It smelled absolutely mouth-watering; a smell that Joan absolutely couldn't resist. She made her way around, doing her best to keep herself out of sight, a difficult feat, even for a small Deviljho like herself. Fortunately, the Hunters were busy amongst themselves, talking about something that Joan couldn't understand. She didn't speak their language, so it was difficult to know if they were talking about anything besides hunting.

A fallen branch snapped under her foot and one of the Hunters turned around to see. Joan had to hit the dirt, but hit a nearby tree in the process and a pile of snow fell on her. This proved useful because it quickly disguised her as a pile of snow. While three of them talked, the fourth was busy cooking up pieces of meat. Joan didn't know why they didn't just eat it raw like she did, but whatever they were doing to it, it smelled good.

She crept along, trying her best not to shake off the snow. Just as she was close enough, the Hunters pointed at something in the distance; a pack of Baggi had come searching for the smell of meat. The group grabbed their weapons and ran off. Joan took this opportunity to grab the meat cooking on the BBQ, swallow it, and duck down again.

The Hunters made short work of the Baggi with their metal weapons and came back to find the BBQ was empty. The first three turned to the forth, who reacted like he didn't have any idea where it went. Joan hoped that her 'diguise' would be enough to keep them from noticing her.

One of the other Hunters put a piece of meat over the fire and called something to the others. While he was distracted, Joan got up, reached out, and snatched the meat off the BBQ. She swallowed it down and was quite happy with how it tasted. The Hunter was surprised to find out that it dissapeared. He looked around, but couldn't see anything.

The Hunter put another piece on and looked around to make sure nothing was going to take it away. He spent so much time that he accidentally burned the meat. He chucked it away and put a new piece on while Joan took the burnt one. It wasn't quite as tasty as the first two, but she swallowed it anyways.

The Hunter wasn't paying so much attention to the meat or his surroundings because he called to the other Hunters. Joan took this opportunity to try and snatch it away, but just as she was about to get it, one of them made a sound and the Hunter looked up to see a snow-covered Deviljho hovering over him. The Hunter panicked and ran off with the meat. Joan, still hungry, ran after him.

The Hunters were fast, but she was just as fast as them. She wasn't about to let them get away with that tasty meat. She just wanted to eat the meat, not them. Whatever they did to it, she wanted more.

Along the way, they came across a small pack of Baggi hunting a small Popo. When they saw the Deviljho coming at them, the Popo turned tail and ran through the pack while the Baggi scattered into the trees. The Hunters were still screaming in fear as they ran, not sure as to what they did to have a Deviljho chase them. Then one of them got the bright idea to throw something at her.

It flew before her eyes and exploded with a bright light that left her blind. Unable to see, she tripped on a log and hit the ground. Using her sense of smell, she tried to track them, but the Hunters were not about to fight her and kept moving. Joan was forced to wait until her sight cleared up before she took off after them.

She smashed through the trees and came up before the Hunters again. Joan snapped her jaws and charged, only to be flashed again. But this time she knew to try and close her eyes. She shook it off sooner than before and charged after them as they were trying to leave this section of the Tundra. Just as she was about to grab the one with the meat, something new hit her. It didn't blind her like the first two did, but she wished that it did when the smell hit her nose.

The smell was just horrible! She couldn't believe that the Hunters would be carrying something so foul and use it on her. She stopped and snorted in an attempt to clear out her nose of the smell. It was so putred that she couldn't believe that she was losing her appetite because of this.

Just as the Hunters were confident that they were leaving her behind, a new figure appeared before them. This one was much bigger than Joan was, about three times as big. The four screamed and scattered as the Monster walked towards Joan. In her attempt to deal with the stench, Joan hadn't been paying any attention. By the time she realized who it was, it was too late.

Devil Jaw John had found her.


	6. Devil Jaws, Big and Small

Joan couldn't believe her eyes as John, a superior Deviljho, stood before her. Once, she thought that she was only half the size of her kind. But after looking at him, she realized that she was just a third of John's size. He had to be the largest of their kind to ever exist, and right now he had his sights on her.

But there was something wrong with him. As he moved, he almost seemed to have to limp. One of his legs looked badly cut, while his sides had wicked scorch marks from dragon shot from a Hunter's Bowgun. He also had a look of illness in his eyes and had tinted drool; he was suffering from poisoned meat. But even with all he suffered, he still managed to find the strength to close in on Joan, who was paralyzed with fear.

Then he tipped forward, not in a lunge, but the results of the poison sapping what little strength he had left. He hit the frozen ground hard and moaned as his stomach couldn't handle the poisoned meat he injested. It had to come out if he was to survive.

Now, if Joan was an average Deviljho, she would have simply killed him herself and devoured him. But years of living with a Khezu left her without the painful scars that forced all her kind to live their lives in constant pain. It was that pain that drove them to fight and eat in the hopes that either the meal or death would finally put an end to their suffering. But because they were always so strong, they would inevitably pick up more scars that would never properly heal. For every wound they recovered from, two more were still fresh or had reopened during their battles.

Joan stepped back and rammed her head into John's gut. His tough hide made it feel like she was banging against a tree, but she continued anyways. She slammed his stomach again and again until he heaved, removing the source of the poison from his system. But he was still weak from the poison and what still remained inside him could still prove fatal. She had to act fast if she was going to save him.

She ran back the way she came and took a detour that led her right to Little Gig's cave. She looked around but she couldn't find the Gigginox anywear. It didn't help that it was dark inside this part and she could barely even see the walls.

Then a tiny voice cried out, "Ooh, you're big!"

"Who's there? A Giggi? I need your help!"

"Mommy said I'm not supposed to talk to strange Monsters. And I'm really not supposed to talk to really big ones too. You look like a real big one."

"I need to see your mommy. I need her help."

"What's wrong?" the Giggi asked from within the darkness.

Joan was hoping this worked, "Someone's hurt and I need her help."

"Umm, ok, I'll go wake mommy up." There was silence for what felt like forever as the Deviljho was forced to wait. She heard the patter of sticky feet on the ceiling, then followed the familiar sound of the Gigginox hitting the floor. Little Gig yawned and stretched before she realized Joan was standing in front of her.

"Hmm, Joan? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry to wake you, but I need your help. There's a Monster who was hurt by Hunters."

"I'm sure he'll made a good meal, sweety. But I'm not hungry."

No, that was not what she wanted, "Please, I want to save him!"

A soft hand was placed on Joan's shoulder, "This is new, but alright, show me the way."

Joan took to the trails while Little Gig took to the air. The Gigginox wasn't the fastest flier, but she could still keep up with her friend below as long as she stayed in sight. They made good time because Joan was able to follow her own scent trail. But when they came to the clearing, Little Gig nearly fell out of the sky in fright. She hit the ground and grabbed Joan by the nose.

"Is that a Deviljho? Joan, you want me to save a Deviljho?" the Gigginox screamed.

"I know, but it's John." Joan explained.

"John, just great, you want me to save John of all Monsters?" Her skin was slowly turning purple.

"I was hoping you could do for him what Sparks does for me. Your skin could heal his wounds. Maybe it will help him act like I do."

"I don't think it will work with him. I mean, just look at him, he's huge!"

"I know, but please, I don't know why, but I really want to save him." Joan ran to John's side and looked at the Gigginox with such concern in her eyes.

"Alright, but if he tried to eat me, he'll be sucking poison for a month." Little Gig rubbed her wings together to get a buildup of the Pale Extract her body produced. Although she didn't want to, she began rubbing it onto the larger Deviljho's wounds. It was a slow process and John flinched a few times, making her jump, but she continued. She was working it in around John's ribs when she started tapping against his side.

"Joan, there's something here. I think his skin might have healed over something." She tapped the spot again.

Joan felt the spot that Little Gig pointed out and found a strange bulge there. There wasn't anything she could do except...she couldn't believe she was about to do this. She hoped John would forgive her as she opened her mouth and bit down. His hide was tougher than normal, but she was able to slowly gnaw through with her new teeth and rip the skin open to expose something hard underneath. She clamped her mouth onto it and pulled. It was stuck deep inside, so she put her feet against John's side and pulled with all her might. There was a splash of blood and the thing came out.

But what was revealed surprised both of the Monster women; a strange horn that neither of the two had ever seen. It was jagged and flat, almost blade-like, quite unlike the smooth and round horns of the Diablos of the far-off deserts. It had somehow snapped off and was left inside John's body, where it has stayed long enough for the wound to heal over. The pain it must have caused him, it had to have been unbearable. Fortunately, it was thin and the angle was meant it didn't do any damage to his organs. The wound wasn't too bad either, at least with a healthy coating of Pale Extract. The substance could prevent just about any kind of wound from scarring, which was why Joan's body was clean of them.

Joan smiled to Little Gig, her new prize still in her mouth. But then she yelped and dropped the horn when it suddenly sparked and zapped her tongue with a strange energy. She looked at her friend with concern as she starting coughing uncontrollably. More energy began to build inside her throat, causing her to panic. Joan wanted to cry for help, but as her throat began to burn, all she could hope for was to scream.

At the edges of the clearing, group of Hunters were searching for the Deviljho that got away from them. They heard from another group that their target had come this way. It was to their surprise that another, smaller, Deviljho was running right at them and a storm of black lightning, dragonbreath, erupted from her mouth. Two of them ducked for cover while the third took the full force of it and was blown off his feet. The second and forth grabbed their fallen ally while the first tried to throw a Flash Bomb. But Joan wasn't done yet and nearly blasted that Hunter too. He dropped the Flash Bomb and ran off too. The group figured it was best to leave and ran for their lives; this hunt was a failure while there were _two_ Deviljhos to deal with.

Little Gig couldn't help but stay where she was by the larger Deviljho while her friend fell to the ground and began to cry. It was only by good fortune that Sparks happened to be flying overhead when she spotted his friends below. He was coming in for a landing while the Gigginox just looked at him. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed and was speechless. Somehow, the small Deviljho had just just used her breath attack for the first time in her life, and it was absolutely horrifying. It was like a raging storm of black energy had erupted from Joan's mouth, destroying anything it touched. The Hunter would only live because she was so small and her dragonbreath was weaker than normal.

Sparks only had to look at the damage left on the ground to get a sense of what happened. He ran over to Joan, who was just sitting on the cold ground, crying to herself. She heard him as he approached and looked back, stretching her arms out for him. She desperately needed someone to comfort her right now; she desperately needed him. The Khezu kneeled down, wrapped his wings around her, and slowly rocked her while she cried into his chest. Her skin felt hot to the touch, but he ignored it because she was his friend.

He'd known her since the day she hatched from an egg that was smaller than the open shells around her. On her own, she would have never survived. She was small, weak, and didn't quite possess the instincts of a normal Deviljho. As soon as she could walk, she ran over to him, picked him up, and almost squeezed the Monster Broth out of him. Her first word was 'squishy'. She didn't mind him when he would feed on her blood. She's just stick him to the back of her head and he'd keep her head warm while he fed.

During that time, he never needed a name. He was just something squishy she kept with her. But when he was a year old and started producing electricity, she said 'I see sparks, I like sparks'. So the name stuck. Her name came from an old legend among the Baggi of the evil Devil Jaw Jho, who would chase a legendary Great Baggi whenever he made off with Jho's food. Joan thought this was funny and pretended to chase a young Baggi. But because she was a girl, she couldn't be called Jho. So she was called Devil Jaw Joan. She liked the name, even though she didn't know what it really meant.

Now those days were long gone, with both of them all grown up. Once Joan's muffled sobs died down and she was able to relax, she pulled her face out from his flabby skin.

Sparks kept rocking her as he spoke to the small Deviljho, "It's ok now, it's ok. I know it was scary, it's scary for all of us who have one. That was your dragonbreath. I never would have thought that it would have taken so long for it to come to you, but I guess it finally happened."

"I-I just w-wanted to help John. I p-pulled a h-horn from inside h-him and...my m-mouth just exploded!"

"I know, that was your breath attack. Mine is lightning and Little Gig has poison. I zapped myself my first time and Little Gig painted her face a shade of purple during hers, remember? I'm just glad you didn't get hurt like I did."

"B-but I could have h-hurt Little Gig!" Joan dug her face in Sparks' chest and started to cry again.

"Hey, I know, but you didn't. In fact, I think you helped save her by chasing away those Hunters. They were tough enough to hurt John, Little Gig would have been an easy hunt for them in comparison. But you chased them off and saved her instead. Come on, we should go make sure she isn't about to lay another batch of eggs."

Joan looked up and cringed, that was a bad joke, if anything. But it was enough to get her to stand up and walk with the Khezu to check on their friend. The Monster woman was a little shaken and looked like she had just come out of a river.

"So I sweat when I'm scared, so what?" The Gigginox was turning a shade of bright pink, which was quite a constrast from the deep purple she became when she was enraged.

Sparks only shook his head, "No, this is a good thing. This means there's more to cover John's wounds with. I'm kind of shocked that Joan would be attempting this, but I guess she isn't your average Deviljho. Most would have simply ate him."

"Well, I hope we don't have any issues like that again. I didn't know if I was about to spew poison or have kids."

"True. So are we trying to save him or are we not? Here, let me help you with that. I've got enough experience with this. Joan, you think you can go for a hunt on your own? We'll make sure John's wounds are dealt with."

Joan nodded her head and dried her tears with her tail. If anything, this whole ordeal has made her hungrier than she has ever been, at least since recently. She raised her nose to the sky and took off after a Popo who stumbled across the clearing and started to run.

Sparks and Little Gig went to work coating John's large body, a feat that required effort from both of them. Not only was he three times their size, but he was covered in many ghastly wounds. He was also suffering from poison, something the two couldn't do anything about. If they could deal with his pain, it was possible his body could deal with the rest. Joan had already dealt with the source, so that helped.

But while they worked, both knew that they would run at the first signs of trouble. This would have been suicide to attempt on a concious Deviljho. Even now they were only doing this on the faith that it would actually work. The two didn't know how a Deviljho would react without all the pain they had to suffer with. But Joan seemed to truly want to save this one.

After a few hours the two had given John's wounds a good coating. Now all they had to do was wait and hope that this worked. They kept a safe distance away from him and kept an eye on him while they sat on the ground. Little Gig shifted her eyes every once in awhile to check on his body temperature, which was slowly getting better.

The two were waiting for John to wake when Little Gig suddenly jumped up and screeched. Unfortunately for Joan, all Gigginox could scream from their tail as well as their mouth. She'd grabbed Little Gig's tail, but was now on her back with her ears ringing in her head.

Little Gig was the deepest shade of purple she ever been and looked like she was about to have a whole other Gigginox, "Joan, I thought something was about to eat me!"

"I'm sorry." Joan ran over to Sparks and hid behind him. Not wanting to join them, he just pulled his own tail out of the way so she couldn't grab it too. But when he looked back to Little Gig, he pulled his hood back and just stared. Joan was pointing at something from over his shoulder while trying to hide her head under his wing.

"What are you guys looking...at?" Little Gig felt a breeze at her back and the color almost fell right out of her skin. She turned as white at the snow at her feet and was too scared to even look back. She didn't want to see that there was a large Deviljho sniffing her tail.

* * *

><p>While they weren't paying attention, Little Gig's scream had caused John to stir. He had tried to get up but instead pushed himself towards the voice who was screaming until just a moment ago. He was breathing heavy and was taking in the scent of the white Monster who stood before him. She shared the same scent of the strange substance that coated his body, which seemed to bring a cooling sensation to his ever-burning wounds. He pushed himself up and licked the back of the tail of the Monster before him, who seemed to freeze on the spot.<p>

With a clarity he had lost when he was her size, he spoke, "You taste good."

That was all that she could take before she went rigid and fell back on his face. The Deviljho was confused because he never had anyone do this to him before. When he tried to move his muscles screamed at him with promises of more pain to come, but the pain now was actually bearable for once. Years of dealing with excrusiating pain had left him with a measure of tolerance to levels that could easily kill a lesser Monster.

He lifted the smaller Monster off his head and held her in his arms, not an easy feat when he realized that her skin was quite soft and shifted easily. He tried his best to keep a hold on her, but her skin would move about until she finally slipped through his fingers and hit the ground in a heap.

For the first time in his life, the Deviljho didn't know what to do. He didn't panic, it just wasn't part of his nature to do so. So when he realized that someone was watching him, he figured that he had the information the Deviljho wanted.

"Is she with you?" John asked as he pointed at the unconcious woman on the ground and the other Monster slowly nodded. "Did you two do this?" he pointed at a scar on his shoulder, which was covered in the same clear slime that he tasted on the Monster woman. It would have been easier for him if he knew just what kind of Monster she was. All he ever did was eat anyone he came across without ever wondering who they were.

The other Monster slowly nodded again while his wing twitched. "Who's that?" John asked and the Monster lifted his wing to reveal a smaller Deviljho, a Monster he did recognize. After scooping up the Monster woman at his feet, John approached the two. "Who are you?" he calmly asked.

"Sparks, the Khezu!" the white Monster suddenly cried. "This is Joan, the Deviljho!"

"I know what she is! I know my own kind, food thing!" John growled.

Then the smaller Deviljho squeaked, "Don't hurt him! I just wanted to help!" She scrambled to get in between John and the Khezu. This only served to confuse him because he never knew of a Deviljho to protect someone they could simply eat. Then he smelled a scent on her that was much like the Khezu and the woman he carried.

"These two mean something to you?" John asked the smaller Deviljho.

"They're my friends. Please don't eat them!"

Suddenly, John realized that she wasn't small because she was young, she was a runt. He did his best to put the woman down and pushed the Khezu out of the way to pick up the tiny Deviljho. She squeaked and went limp as he shifted her about in his hands to get a better look. The Khezu could do nothing but watch.

She was small, but she was nearly fully mature by the look of her markings. Her personality didn't follow her age though; was it a side-effect of being so small? What surprised him even more was that she lacked any sort of scars on her body. She had a few bumps and bruises that looked fresh, possibly from a hunt, but those were nothing to even think of. Even a baby Deviljho would quickly pick up wounds and a few scars. But her body was just too clean.

Then he realized that she barely made a peep while he had been looking her over. John turned her around so she was looking right at him and found that she looked like she was about to cry. But she looked so petrified that she couldn't even do that. It was almost a pathetic sight to him, but he didn't quite care about it. He turned her to the side and gave her tail a pinch. She suddenly became quite lively in his arms and squealed like a Mosswine, wildly kicking her legs until she fell out of his hands. She almost fell on the white-skinned Monster woman, who still had yet to wake up.

"Tell me, small one, who is this?" he pointed to the woman.

"That's Little Gig, she's a Gigginox. Sparks is her cousin."

That would explain the similiarities, and why they were shaped so differently. He scooped up the Gigginox and cradled her in his arms. He was sort of getting used to trying to hold her. But her skin was still making it difficult. "Where's her nest?"

The Deviljho was about to tell him when the Khezu butted in, "Maybe we should take her to our nest. You'd probably scare her kids."

"She's a mother?" John looked at the Monster woman's face as she almost seemed to sleep in his arms. He brushed a strand of snow-white hair from her face and just stood there. He always just thought of every Monster as food, whether man or woman. The thought of this one being a mother was surprisingly new to him. He would have to ask her about it when she woke up.

Joan looked back when he felt the one known as Joan nipping at his tail, which was almost as big as she was. She was probably attempting to get back at him for pinching hers. John didn't have any objections as he allowed them to guide them to their nest.

If anything, he wanted to learn just how such a tiny Deviljho survived all this time.

* * *

><p>How long was he going to have to wait? He could have been out there hunting, but instead he was told to be here at this time. He sank his teeth into an ice chunk and crushed it to pieces with his powerful jaws. He was hungry, and he didn't like to be hungry. He didn't care what the locals tasted like, he just wanted to feast on their flesh. He wanted to taste their blood and hear their dying screams.<p>

When a familiar Tigrex woman dropped out of the sky and landed beside him, he caught the tantilizing scent of blood in the cold air. He grabbed her by her neck with his claws as she stood up and looked into her eyes. There was not a trace of fear to be had, in fact, she seemed to be enjoying herself. Here she was, caught in such a way that would have most Monsters in a panic. But she was as cool as the snow that fell around them. The blood that covered her face meant that she had a satisfying hunt. He licked the blood from her face, almost lovingly, as he made sure her face was all clean. The taste, it was almost worth the wait, almost.

"Have you been waiting long?" she asked him.

"Where are they?" he snarled back. She just smiled and nipped at his neck before taking off. He took to the air as well and followed her to a cave. Inside he found two dead Barioth and several crippled Baggi.

"I know how much you like to make a kill before you eat. So I thought you might enjoy these. They aren't much to chew on, but if we're lucky, their screams will attract someone else. I hear that their pack leaders are much bigger than them. Have fun, Bonecrypt."

The Tigrex smiled as he picked up the first Baggi in his mouth and threw her like Hunter child with a ragdoll. She did indeed scream before hitting the wall and falling to the ground, dead. The other Baggi began to scream too as he approached them, not wanting to be next. But their legs were useless after the Monster woman chewed them to the bone. Fate had served them to two legendary Monsters.

Bloodsong was the name and status of the strongest and fiercest Tixgrex woman. It was only bestowed upon those who could kill the previous owner of the name and tame the spirit of the one who was forced to carry the name of Bonecrypt. The Tigrex man was the largest, strongest member of his kind who required another to ensure that his blood rages were kept under control. As long as Bloodsong was strong enough to do so, he would not become enraged. But without her, Bonecrypt could have slain every monster in the desert region in less than a year.

The scars on his body proved how hard he fought. He nearly lost an eye against his brother when he was a year old and his tail was a chewed mess when his own mother found him two years later. The scars would never heal as long as he lived, but like it mattered to him. He killed and ate them both to gain strength, only to use that strength to steal the life from his father when he was only five. He was little more than half grown then, yet he had the strength of a full-grown Tigrex. The battle lasted a week and two Hunter villages were destroyed in the process.

Many Hunters came for him to claim his head, but it was their bones that now lay in his den. That was how the first Bonecrypt first became a legendary Tigrex. And for as long as Tigrex walked this world, there would always be one like him.

But he was far from the desert because Bloodsong had heard that a lord of the Frost Clan had awoken. He didn't care about the clans. If he was allowed, he would fight and devour them all.

Another Baggi screamed as he approached, which brought a crooked smile to his lips. The scar that cut across his face came from single being who got away. Just one Monster still lives to this day after attacking him. No Monster just attacks him and gets to leave with their life!

In his anger, he slammed his claws down on the Baggi, ending his cries. As the blood colored the snow and ice, Bonecrypt could feel his own blood rushing through his veins. It was only when Bloodsong grabbed him by his throat with her jaws that he stopped. She was fast, faster than him. She was also strong enough to hold him still and bite through his scales and hide if she had too.

Bloodsong held him until he was fully aware again, his rage dying down. He snarled at her when she let go, but she just smiled back and pointed him to the last of the Baggi, who was quickly crawling away. He stomped off to finish up so he could eat. She didn't mind it when she was splashed across the face with fresh blood. In fact, she quite enjoyed it.


	7. New Threats Emerge

By the time the group got back to the nest, Little Gig had already tried waking up once. Unfortunately, finding out that a Deviljho was carrying her was too much for her to handle. She promptly passed out again, slipping out of John's arms and to the ground for the third time in an hour. He was getting better at holding her, but it was strange for him.

He laid her down in Joan and Sparks' nest and sat himself down. Their cave wasn't as big as most caves were. Even though he ducked down, he bumped his head on a low-hanging icicle, breaking it off and dropping it on Joan. The Deviljho girl was surprisingly bold when she kicked him, not showing the fear from before. Sparks, however, was still nervous about him. That was understandable though. John would be nervous too if he had to deal with a monster as big as him if he was as small as a Khezu.

Surprisingly, John wasn't so desperately hungry at the moment. It was almost like the pain had driven him to keep eating. There were times he would go days without sleeping while out on the hunt. Then he would practically fall over into his nest, only to wake up some time later, starving again. But now, he just felt like sitting down for the first time in ages. He didn't really know what to talk about because he would normally have everyone for dinner.

His ribs hurt a lot, even with the treatment the two wyverns gave him. It didn't help that he had a horn piece stuck in his body, which Joan had torn from his body. Now he had a hole in his side, covered in frozen goop, and he could still smell his own blood on Joan's breath. It was a strange thought that a Deviljho would actually _help_ another Monster, much less another of their own kind. Elder Dragons were capable of many things. Deviljho however, weren't one of them.

Being driven by unending cycles of pain and hunger stripped them of their capabilities of reasoning. He wouldn't be surprised if his kind were once a clan like the other Elder Dragons. His kind must have ended all memory of their rule long ago after devouring their servants and anyone else who knew. Now the only legacy they had were as walking extinction events. It was a wonder that they stopped long enough to have families.

On that thought, he looked around and saw that, besides a nest and some bones, their cave was empty. "No eggs." When he realized that he had said that out loud, he looked at the pair.

Sparks had his face covered by his hood and Joan was turning a shade of pink no Deviljho has ever manage. She ran outside and rammed a large tree, dropping a pile of snow on her. John knew from their reactions that the two had never considered eggs before. One would think they might have, seeing as they were friends with a Gigginox. He remembered somewhere in the past that he once had to shake three dozen Giggi off his back. Their mother got away after her poison threatened to spoil his appetite. He never did figure out whatever happened with her.

"Better now?" John asked as the smaller Deviljho came wandering back. She nodded her head, still a bit embarrassed. She went to the Khezu's side, who started to turn red himself. It was an impressive feat, considering that he was so pale.

"W-what happened?" the Gigginox asked as she stirred in the nest.

"Hey, no passing out this time. We need to talk."

Little Gig looked up to see that it was John who spoke. She froze on the spot and before she could fall unconscious and just looked at him with a blank look on her face. When he tapped her on the forehead, he got her attention back.

Unfortunately, it also caused her to scream in fear. Joan and Sparks had to run outside as icicles began falling. One would have fallen on the Gigginox, but John was able to catch it in his mouth. His arms were not very quick or nimble as the rest of him, so he chose to use his mouth. He put it down and the white wyvern just glared at him.

"T-thanks," she mumbled. "Thank you."

"Is is true that you're a mother?" John asked.

She gave him a weird look, "I'm a Gigginox, young and healthy, and totally poisonous so don't think about eating me or you'll get such a stomach ache and Joan will have to eat you." She got up and kicked her tail out of her way of her legs, which had him raise an eyebrow. "What, did you mistake me for a man?" she stomped close to him and stamped on his foot.

John, taken aback by this sudden change, said, "Um, no, I was just wondering about you as a Gigginox. I know your kind have lots of children, that is a given. I was just wondering if _you _were a mother too, because...well...you look so young." Great, now he sounded like an idiot. Now there's a first. A Deviljho who thought he looked like a fool. As if they didn't look bad enough when they start drooling all over the place.

But she just blushed and turned away, "I am. I've had about four dozen babies in the past year. I know most of them won't survive, but I know that I am doing my part to help them to survive."

"Do you love them?" John asked and she came right at him, making him stumble into the wall.

"I love all my children! They're my babies!" She leaped up, climbing up his chest to meet up with his face. "Have you ever had children?"

He was going to reply, but then he realized that he never did have any kids. Any time he met with a Deviljho woman, all she would want to do was try to eat him. They failed because he was bigger and stronger than just about all his kind. But now, somehow, this tiny woman was making him nervous.

"Want some?" she asked.

John toppled over as soon as those two words registered in his head. He didn't move when he realized that she was still on him. Her face was so close to one of his eyes that he could see the shock in hers. He didn't know how or why, but she forgot that she was up in a Deviljho's face. If that wasn't a serious folly, he didn't know what was. He was glad he wasn't hungry enough to try to eat her. Of course, he would regret it in more ways than one.

"Uh, Little Gig, is that really a good idea?" Joan asked.

The Gigginox suddenly changed color when she realized that somebody was watching. Sparks had his hood down, but that didn't mean he wasn't listening. Her whole body's color faded, turning her a bright pink as she slid off.

"I wasn't being serious! I can have kids all on my own for at least another few months. I'll find myself another man and I'll be having more kids before you know it!" She was quickly turning red when she realized she just said that around Joan. The smaller Deviljho slipped on a chunk of ice and hit the floor. Now Little Gig had brought down _two_ Deviljho with just words alone.

John pulled himself up and chuckled while Joan did the same, at least until a shadow appeared at the entrance of the cave. Everyone looked to see a Barioth standing there, wondering what the ruckus was. She quickly realized that John was around and slowly stepped back. Some snow from the tree above the cave fell and hit her back, sending her into a panic and she ran for her life. Everyone looked at each other with such surprise that they all started to laugh.

"Okay, I think it's time for me to go eat. I thought I smelled a carcass a few miles out from here." John started to leave.

Joan shocked everyone by giving him a hug goodbye, "Alright, but try not to get hurt too much. If you do, just find either Sparks or Little Gig and I'm sure they can help you heal."

"I'm sure they can. The real question is whether they will or not."

Little Gig jumped up to the ceiling so she could talk with him a little more personally, "I live in a cave just a few miles down the road. If you ever feel like it, come and visit. Just promise to eat first. I don't want to find out any of my children are missing before their time to leave the nest."

"Alright, I'll do that." He stepped down, hitting his head on another icicle as he went. He shook himself off and walked out.

* * *

><p>Now that he was able to relax, Sparks toppled over. Joan tried to catch him, but he hit the ground when his slick skin slipped out of her grasp. She and Little Gig carried him into nest and once doing that, the two Monster women stepped out to get some food. The Giggi would be alright without their mother around. Anyone foolish enough to wander into a cave full of them would quickly lose blood to their many mouths. But Joan needed something more to eat and wondered if she could catch some fish or a Popo.<p>

She knew the Popo didn't like most people, but that was because most people had a tendency to eat them. The Kelbi who came around were just the same way. If anyone bigger than themselves came around, their first reaction was to get the hell out of there. Joan wasn't sure just how Sparks was able to catch them so often to store away for later. It was a good thing that he didn't eat as much as she did. She really didn't need the competition.

She went out and sniffed the air. The sky was clear, so here was no

Today, it seemed another group of Hunters around. She kept herself low and followed them. They looked like they were searching for something, or someone was the more likely choice. Surprisingly, she was able to sneak up this group with more ease than usual. They seemed to lack the awareness of their surroundings that most of their kind had. But she kept her distance anyways because their weapons looked dangerous. She wasn't about to risk her neck just because she was curious.

She knew a few monsters who stuck their head out going after one Hunter, only to lose it to another waiting with an explosive. Fortunately, this group were all together. She didn't understand why they usually came in groups of four, other than that meant they had a better chance to find her food.

One of them said something and she ducked for cover. It was unfortunate that she couldn't understand their language because they sounded like they were saying something important. They kept pointing towards the mountain in the distance, as if it was important to them.

But that all changed when the carcass of a small Popo suddenly dropped among them. Everyone looked up in time to see an orange flash come down upon their heads, scattering them to the winds. As they ran, one Hunter got swiped by powerful claws and sent flying into the bushes. He was alright, but he didn't stick around.

Then this new figure roared like no monster Joan had ever heard. He had a body shape like a Barioth, but his scales were orange with blue stripes. Whoever this was, he was not one of the locals.

He looked around and saw Joan standing there before he roared again. She knew better than to stay and ran, but the strange monster charged after her. He had the blood lust that couldn't be outmatched by any Deviljho, which only put more fear into her heart and made her legs pump even harder to get away.

"Help! Someone, please, help me!" Joan cried, but it was futile. What sort of monster would help a Deviljho? But when she heard a crash, she turned to see another Deviljho attacking the monster. Unfortunately, it wasn't John. This one was a different Deviljho man, probably seeking new territory. But the orange monster didn't care and lunged, sinking his teeth into the Deviljho's leg.

The Deviljho, still bigger than this invader, slammed his foot down on the ground and created a shockwave that forced the monster to release his grip before being kicked in the head. Joan kept running because this was not something she could deal with. She was almost the size of this new monster, but she didn't have his skill or blood lust.

As she crashed through the trees, she came across one of the Hunters who had tripped and fell to the ground. So she did what any Deviljho wouldn't do, she ducked her head and snatched him up by his armored belt and ran for both their lives. Who would have thought a Deviljho would be saving a Hunter, one who would willingly take her down?

Once she got back to the cave, she dropped the man and leaped into her nest to hide. The fear had ruined her appetite and left her curled up in fear with her bone. When she peeked up to see the Hunter standing there, he was holding his weapon, a long sword, as if wanting to strike her down. She stared at him with such a shocked expression on her face that it must have shown, for he lowered it.

He was obviously confused about why she didn't simply eat him. It also helped when he heard the roar of the two monsters fighting in the distance, even from here. He looked at her, holding a bone as she hide herself. When she didn't react as he backed away, he ran back outside to find his comrades.

It didn't matter to her, she was inside her home again. And once again, she had to go without food. It bothered her greatly, especially now that she was getting pretty hungry. But the fear was enough to hold her here. It was good that there were at least some frozen Kelbi in the snow pile that she could have.

But while she was digging into it, something grabbed her tail and she screamed, flopping into the pile. She tried to hold a frozen Kelbi in a menacing fashion but that proved useless as her 'weapon' was soon gulped down.

"Joan, what are you doing in my freezer pile?"

"Sparks!" she leaped out, nearly tackling the Khezu to the ground. She was sobbing from a mix of fear and hunger. "I was so scared!"

"Wow, wow, what's got you scared?"

"Some new monster appeared and chased me! Another Deviljho appeared and they started to fight so I ran back home! And I'm so hungry!"

"Then it's good thing I caught a small Popo this time. I had a strange feeling like you would need it." He dragged the furry thing into the cave so Joan could eat. She stripped the Popo pretty quickly and was happily snacking on a frozen Kelbi's head while Sparks hugged her.

"You've been getting bigger lately."

"No I haven't. I haven't grown in a long time."

"I'm serious, you're getting bigger. Here, stand in front of me."

She did as he asked and found that she was looking at the top of his head and not into his eyes. She looked down and chuckled. For some odd reason, she was growing again. She was going to need more food soon. But what could she even hunt that would prove good enough? Things were going to get hard with those strange monsters out there.

* * *

><p>Deep in the Molten Ridge, a harsh place where only the strongest survive, a lone Gravios woman was chewing on some of the rock that would become a part of her shell. Her Basarios triplets, a rarity for her kind, were wandering about, looking for softer stones to eat. The woman chomped down on a piece of hard stone and contentedly chewed as one of her children came to see if there was something to eat.<p>

Her shell was thick and strong, a common sight for any Gravios of her age. Some day, her children would become just as large as she was. But first they had to prove themselves by surviving this place. Only then could they gain the right of the name of Gravios.

But even for one such as her, there were dangers. When the first roar came, she let out one of her own that sent her children into the ground and digging to another site. She looked around for the strange voice she heard, but whoever it was, they weren't making it easy to see them.

She hoped it wasn't the lord of this area, the Akantor. Their kind was ferocious and only cared about power and the will to survive. She had beaten this one back a few times i the past and will do so again.

But when he didn't show, the woman began to wonder what she could have heard. When she saw the Akantor tusk fall from the sky, the first chill in her entire life brought a shiver through her hardened body. She looked up and opened her mouth to unleash a fire beam that lit up the sky.

Unfortunately, the intruder speared through the chest before she realized her mistake that he wasn't there. The monster's horn sliced through her shell with such terrifying ease that she didn't know that she was dead until the monster tossed her to the ground.

She let out a rumbling groan with her last breath, a signal to her children to run. Although they wouldn't like it, they left the Molten Ridge, their home since the day they hatched. They had no hope of fighting off a monster who killed one of the Fire Lords.

x

Damn it! This one tasted worse than the other! This one tasted like rocks and volcano ash. But she needed the sustenance anyways. She quickly ripped into the body of her latest victim and let out a great roar that could be heard a long ways away.

She was the master of this world, not these 'Lords' as they called themselves. Though she had slept for so long, it didn't matter to her for she was awake now. She was awake and would retake her throne. It didn't matter who got in her way, for she would destroy everyone in her way.

Once she got her strength back, she would hunt the one who forced her into her slumber. She would taste blood and flesh and bone before she was to be finished.

* * *

><p>As the ancient Yama Tsukami floated through the air, he thought he heard a voice he remembered long ago. The memory of his youth flashed through his mind, a rare thing these days. He was the oldest of his kind, an elder in many ways.<p>

He reached down and tore up an entire tree, crunching it between his teeth. Then he floated off for his destination. He had someone he needed to see, but it would be a few days before he would reach them.

And so he made his way, only stopping to feed and build up the gasses he needed to float. Many monsters honored his approach by ensuring they were not in his way as he fed on trees and earth, or when he dipped down to drink from a lake.

By the time he reached the ancient mountain top, a place long forgotten by the Hunters, he stopped and waited as a regal woman with purest white scales approached. She held such power that at her very movement, the air crackled with energy. She was one of the oldest of her kind as well, old enough to have her scales turn white as her power grew.

She was the Great Lord, a rare title to hold. She remained far removed from the world, where only those who knew how to reach her could even make an attempt. No Hunter could hope to find her here, a most sacred place to monsters.

But even as old as she was, the Yama Tsukami remembered her when her egg was freshly laid down on the ground. He was there when she hatched and as she grew into a fine woman. She had giving birth to seven of her own, an event that rarely came. But she had lived long enough to have it come so many times.

She was so powerful that any man of her kind would be greatly honored to give her a child. If she were to but ask, they would give their body and soul over to her. But to the Yama Tsukami, she was still the young dragon he taught how to fly. There were no other monsters still alive who held such an honor of knowing her since then, for all others have died of age or by another's actions.

"Elder Yggdrasil, it is an honor to see you after all these years." Even as she spoke, the air dance with electricity. She did well not to move her lips very wide, lest she strike the ancient monster down with her power.

"I have grave news that takes precedence above all else. She has returned."

The woman's face didn't change, for she could split the sky if she did. Instead, she remained perfectly calm and serene while the clouds around her thundered suddenly. The woman knew of the one he spoke of. His memory went so far back, and yet he could remember it all. He could even remember the scent her mother had, something even she could not remember in her age.

"I knew this day would come when she left her mark on me." She traced a claw across her ribs, down a deep scar that only healed in the past three centuries. It was a wonder she had lived so long despite her wound. Or was it because she sustained such a wound and lived that she earned the right to live?

"Yes, but there seems that there is another. I have dreamed of the Lost Clan, of the return of the Lord of the Hunt."

At that, the woman flicked her tail and a lightning bolt cackled with enough force to smash into the mountain. It left the spot where it hit glassed over with its power. Even the great Elder Yggdrasil only knew of the Lord of the Hunt from his great-grandmother. As a result, they were only two of the few who knew that such a being had existed.

"She will come in a time of great darkness and will bring the return of the Lost Clan to their rightful place."

"But will it happen in our lifetimes? And how many lives will be lost needlessly before that happens?"

"Even with all I have, I do not hold that answer. All we can do is wait for such a monster to appear. But I sense another presence still exists today. One who was the cause for the Lost Clan long before the War of Hunt and Ice."


End file.
